The Black Order - All Things End

[beefcake]

Great markers. I never though of constructing my own from my bits box. Off I pop!

[fred]

Great looking models.

The knight horde looks awesome. But I always found in game they were a bit of a liability due to their shear size. And that they were a target for all that the enemy could throw at them.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Cheers guys!

Great looking models.

The knight horde looks awesome. But I always found in game they were a bit of a liability due to their shear size. And that they were a target for all that the enemy could throw at them.

Yes, I've found the same. Hence why I now split them up into regiments and run them under the Undaunted Crusaders formation. I have been considering running the Knight Initiates as a horde instead (far cheaper and same number of attacks) as a chaff/distraction unit. More on that to come...

The Black Order grows further, as I recently discovered I could remodel my movement trays to fit 7 knights per regiment. With the new addition of Knight-Seneschal Murgen this means I can split my old 2 Order of the Brotherhood regiments...into 3! Muahahaha, etc.

[fred]

You've got to love multi-basing to increase your unit count, for the same figures!! bThe blanks you have put in blend in very well to the look of the unit.

The undaunted formation looks useful - I often take the potion of caterpillar on my knight units, so being able to get it on two is good. With the changes to TC I've been thinking about adding in more units with CS - probably as allies.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Yeah, the bonuses of both Brotherhood formations are amazing. It really helps us as otherwise Brotherhood tends to be a fairly low-tier army. I'm also considering the allies option at present but haven't settled on a list yet - tempted by something like Nature elementals, don't really want to do the tried-and-overdone Ogre allies.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Presenting Osric Gaheris, Standard Bearer  and Knight-Lieutenant of the Black Order, and an insight into one of the Order's oldest myths.  https://brotherhoodofknights.wixsite.com/blackorder/blog/the-banner-of-madrigal

Internet kudos for those who spot the reference!

_______________________

The Banner of Madrigal



The song of the fall of Madrigal was one of the oldest lays sung in the old Kingdom before the Cataclysm. Even after the Kingdom's destruction, the Orders retained many of the centuries-old customs and traditions so fundamental to their way of life. With these customs came a rich tapestry of legends and oral histories recounted by the Journeymen, the librarians, healers and record-keepers of the Orders. The greatest such legend told of the mythical city of Madrigal - a tremendous walled citadel defended by legions of warriors led by soldier-sorcerers whose power could shatter armies - and its eventual destruction by the Dark. Though the song of Madrigal can be sung many ways - often with each Journeyman recounting a slightly different version of events - all the legends tell us that Madrigal's fall was orchestrated by the same ancient foe of the Kingdom. Though he has many names - Blighter of Souls, the Twice Born, the Murder of Crows - all the legends agree that he was a man so twisted and evil he flensed the flesh from his skull and tore out his own heart in a ritual forever binding his soul to the Dark in exchange for truly horrifying power.



It is said that this foe will return at the world's ending, and that the Twice Born will raise the fallen of Madrigal to fight for him, and that the heroes of ages past will return as the minions of the Dark to challenge the last champions of the Light in a final battle that will rend the very world itself asunder.

With the advent of the Cataclysm, many among the Orders thought that the world's ending was upon them. 'Madrigal!' became a rallying cry among the warriors beset by the incursion of the Dark, even though the fabled city is almost certainly no more than a myth; yet, like so many legends, it has given hope to a generation of warriors who had none. Many Orders carry banners and standards depicting the heroes and champions of Madrigal into battle, inspiring the assembled brethren to maintain their resolve in the face of implacable darkness.



Knight-Lieutenant Osric Gaheris, Standard Bearer of the Black Order

[Giger]

Some wonderful work on display here.

[traveller]

Awesome painting! 

[Hawkeye]

The knights themselves are wonderful, of course, but I absolutely love the basing, and the movement trays - superb! As far as identifying references is concerned, unfortunately the only thing I can think of in relation to the Black Knight is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Fantastic job on this army - wonderfully cohesive painting, basing, and background. Love it!

[beefcake]

Very nice. Any plans for some evil folk? Or perhaps barbarian allies?

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Cheers folks! Appreciate the kind words.

Very nice. Any plans for some evil folk? Or perhaps barbarian allies?

Funnily enough, in the update right after this one I should have some teasers for the return of the Dark - the encroachment of undead, horrors from the dream realm and other assorted nasties plaguing the Black Order's territories. I also have some repurposed Vikings that are being worked on currently. I'll post some pics soon.

The knights themselves are wonderful, of course, but I absolutely love the basing, and the movement trays - superb! As far as identifying references is concerned, unfortunately the only thing I can think of in relation to the Black Knight is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Fantastic job on this army - wonderfully cohesive painting, basing, and background. Love it!

Haha, hopefully the Monty Python thing isn't immediately apparent, as that's not the intention at all. The legend of the Twice Born and the fall of Madrigal is a direct homage/nod to the Myth: The Fallen Lords series. Thanks very much for the praise Really makes the hours painting worthwhile.

__________________

Border Patrols

A patrol from the Seventh Banner under Knight-Warden Rabican move to secure the old ruins north of Yursgrad against an incursion from the northmen

The following is the Black Order's first foray into the SAGA ruleset, recently re-released by Studio Tomahawk. In-game, as the Black Order is a fictional creation, it could follow a number of different rules set out in the mixed historical/fantasy SAGA ruleset; I've found it fits the Teutonic Knights (Ordenstaat) ruleset best given its focus on the Knights and the high attrition rate of the peasant levies under the Ordenstaat battleboard.

In-game, the following models represent these Ordenstaat choices:

Knight-Warden Rabican - Warlord on foot
Milana, Sister-Martial - Priest (1pt) OR Black Order Knights - Hearthguard (1pt)
Black Order Knights - Hearthguard (1pt)
Yursgrad men-at-arms - Warriors on foot (1pt)
Yursgrad yeomen - Warriors on foot with crossbows (1pt)

It would be very easy to use the rest of the Black Order miniatures in SAGA - mounted hearthguard and levies in particular could be easily represented with Order knights and more spearmen. However, this 4pt warband is the one I'll learn the rules with for now.

_________

The Black Order's rule over the northern hamlets and towns of the old Kingdom was challenged frequently in the years following the Cataclysm. Even before the return of the Dark, rival Orders, border reivers from the heathen tribes in the North and the encroachment of southron hosts intent on plunder challenged the Order's ability to defend its own.



Knight-Warden Rabican, leader of the Seventh Banner

With greater and greater frequency the Order raised levies from the border hamlets that, in time, became adept rangers and warriors in their own right, forced to adapt or die to the many incursions threatening the Order's holdings. The Edict of Yursgrad, a decree passed by the Grand Master after the near-devastation of the town of Yursgrad by a southron encroachment, meant that all men, women and children of working age would be required to undertake military training to serve in the defence of their own lands.

To supplement the levies and town militias, many Order knights volunteered to lead bands of the Order's men-at-arms and yeomen on far-ranging border patrols, reinforcing the most distant hamlets and ensuring the training of the Order's civilians was undertaken without reservation.



Sister-Martial Milana, attached to the Seventh Banner under Knight-Warden Rabican



Order men-at-arms from Yursgrad



Order yeomen from Yursgrad

Many such patrols were lost to foreign incursion, whether by the southrons, the heathen Northmen or in time through the encroachment of the Dark. Many were the engagements that would have found their way into sagas and legends, were any left alive to tell them.



Black Order Knights: Roland, Agravaine, Angaric, Pelleon

[traveller]

 

[Bloggard]

great stuff.

[beefcake]

I really hope you have some minis in mind for the Fetch. My favourite from this world (or other world as it happens).

[Little Odo]

This thread just gets better and better. Keep it up.