Topic: The Sun has already set... (A Sylvanian Army Blog)

[Alexious]

Hello all,

I should at first introduce myself a bit here. I have been playing Warhammer 40k when it was still RT... (1988) and I first started to get into Warhammer itself through the roleplaying game in 86 or so. I didnt begin collecting a Warhammer army till about 86-87 and although i loved the look of the Empire, they were not as nearly well developed as they are today. My first Warhammer army was called the Disciples of Red Redemption...  I would be shocked... if anyone still remembers them. Warhammer was a lot simpler then, and battles were fought with about 12-14 figures on a side.

Anyway... I eventually went through a phase of collecting Skaven, and then moved to my favorite army Undead. By the time I collected Undead, they were just a single army, with no tomb kings in sight... but I can remember when Skeletons in the Old World still used catapults and liches were pretty good generals. One of the things though that I loved about the game was the way the lore developed for Sylvania. It was always my favorite Imperial Province and I loved the entire premise of Vlad taking command of a fallen province and turning it into a successful one before things became overtly sinister and he declared war on the rest of the Empire.

I gave the game away for a good ten years then as other things in my life took precedence but returned two years ago to begin playing 40k once again. With the start of 8th edition for Fantasy I decided to do a Dark Elf Army based off a Corsair Fleet and an Empire Army based off Sylvania before Vlad declared war in 2010 IC. (For those who don't care too much about the fluff, Vlad ruled the province for 200 years before making his move as a contender for the Throne.)

I decided therefore to create a Sylvanian Themed Army, but as also a lover of the background material and WFRP, I wrote pretty extensive background material based off the province and the various units that I would model. I enjoy the heraldry and other aspects of the Empire too. (I do love also playing competitively!)

Without further ado here is my first two regiments from the town of Leicheburg, a border town that lies on the edge of the Haunted Hills, along the border with Stirland.



(note I am aware I need to correct my spelling, however the above with do for the moment as the Heraldry of Leicheburg. If anyone is particularly interested I have an avid interest in Heraldry and am more than happy to design their army a coat of arms, just send me a message!)

The Leicheburg Halberdiers



Baron Albrecht Rumsfeld. Unit Champion of the Leicheburg Halberdiers.



Standard Bearer. Leicheburg Halberdiers.



Unit Musician. Leicheburg Halberdiers.




Leicheburg Gunners





I do appreciate feedback and would love to know of any current background material that people have come across for Sylvania, particularly before the Vampire Wars began.

I have based the units off the Heraldry and Uniforms of the Empire, keeping Purple and Red and eventually Black as the three main colors of the force. I will eventually create one or two special units as well that might be in different colors.(The idea of a foil type force for the Stirland River Patrol based off Brown Water Pirates is going to be my first one.) What I have though in my mind is a force that would have been appropiate for Sylvania to field just prior to Vlad revealing himself as a Vampire. The Empire Army book and Vampire Counts Army book both state that Vlad rebuilt the province and as an Elector Count he was in greater control of his province than some of his fellow Counts were of their own.

What I do know is that Sylvania did not have its own Rune Fang but Otto and therefore Vlad after him were Electors and that the Sylvanian Military did march alongside the undead forces during the Vampire Wars. The previous editions of WFB included at one time the Sylvania Milita which will also feature strongly in my army as Free Company troops.

If your interested in learning more about the regiments etc and the background and places of Sylvania, I have created a blog http://sylvaniaempire.blogspot.com/ to share my progress and also use a reference guide for my own WFRP. People are welcome to follow along or even offer suggestions! I would love to know anything that people have come across about Sylvania and its history. I have already come across Mad Aldreds page which gives me through the WFRP stuff the names of the leaders of the various towns of Sylvania but if anyone knows of anything else, particularly about Champions or famous units of the province, I would be most greatful.

Oh... and death to Count Martin and Stirland! May Sylvania rise once again and may the Empire tremble before her might. 

[White Knight]

Looking good, you've got those two coulours work well together. 

[anvalous]

Alex - Welcome!

Your models look fantastic and it shows that you've been a dedicated hobbyist for decades.  Your colors are crisp and your details are excellent.  My one comment would be to see if you could bring the metals up with an edge of your brightest silver or to add some more of your yellowed white.  The plumes are great, but I almost want some more brightness to break up the red and purple.  Just my perspecitve, of course.

As a whole, your army is going to look great.  What are you going to do for characters, if you don't mind my asking?

Ooo!!!  Idea - if you're going to go for the Sylvanians who fought with the vamps, toss in a few Empire-ized skeletons to your state troop regiments.  That'd really add some visual excitement to the units

[Immovable Object]

As everybody has already said, the colour choice is great and your painting is nice, clean and sharp. I would echo what anvalous said about the metals although as a whole army Im not sure it will be too noticeable. I do think however you should take the time to remove mould lines and perhaps make your eyes a little more of a realistic size and shape. On the whole though, everything looks great and its good that you've taken the time to consider the background fluff for your army. 

[Nicholas Ironfist]

It warms the cockles of my heart to see Sylvanian armies...well human ones at any rate. I don't mind the eyes that much...there heroic scale
Nice work hope to see more 

[Fandir Nightshade]

Your painting is fantastic even though I dislike the eyes....they look like crazydudes.

[Alexious]

Well Sylvania is full on crazies.... you know the type;

1). Nobody comes to us. The neighbours daughter looks hot... even though she is my cousin....
2). Every few years some lunatic turns up and torches our village and says old man withers was a A). Vampire B). Zombie  C). May have at one time been a member of the Communist Party.
3). Hi honey I'm home... have you lost weight darling? your arm dropped off again.

But I do think the people of Sylvania get a bad wrap somethimes. But I actually like the half nutjob look. If I can work out some fluff for a unit of flagellants who look disciplined and normal.. might make it even better. Perhaps Flagellants of Death who think they are already dead so they dont feel pain and dont show emotion? Might make a nice foil for the army. Might be something I consider later on.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. Appreciate them! Keep them coming if anyone has any.

[Fandir Nightshade]

Make them ghosts....that DON´t believe they are dead.

Just take state troopers and paint them up with blue and drybrush white.

[Johedl]

You got a good looking regiment.

I chosed Liecheburg as the home town for my Stirland army as well when I started! But mine troops are in green and yellow due to the precent day situation. We should post our character's names and see if there are any Liecheburg militairy families around 

But I do think the people of Sylvania get a bad wrap somethimes. But I actually like the half nutjob look. If I can work out some fluff for a unit of flagellants who look disciplined and normal.. might make it even better. Perhaps Flagellants of Death who think they are already dead so they dont feel pain and dont show emotion? Might make a nice foil for the army. Might be something I consider later on.

Loyal soldiers that do not fear death due to their faith in the von Carsteins power to bring them back as wights on the battle field. Their motto could be "Until death and beyond" or something better.

[Alexious]

Update with the Helstrom Rocket Launcher "Arterial" and its crew "Crazy Ivan" and Deaf Tomaz, led by Gun Captain Hanz Kludenkopft. "Crazy Ivan" was responsible for mixing the chemicals for the "Arterial" and it was often discussed that he may have taken a liking to the powerful brew and would walk around in a daze for several days after mixing chemicals. He is pictured here carrying shot for a Volley Gun for unknown reasons, probably due to his addled brain.

The "Arterial" and her crew served in the early part of the greater Vampire Wars and was responsible for the destruction of the Stirland "Footsloggers" when it rockets exploded directly on target during the Battle of Hilltop Road in 2009 IC. The device was eventually destroyed in 2011 IC when it was attacked during transport.

[Azyr]

Very impressive, I like it alot 

[forthelady]

Looks good your army!

I don't know if you know this, but there is a old white dwarf with is a story when Vlad made his move against the Empire.
The Grand Master of koww is his main opponent and got defeated. Good fluff story!

[Alexious]

Thredomancy.... rise, rise..... rise! Just like the Grand Army of Sylvania!

I have been very busy with other projects.... so here is an update on the Grand Army of Sylvania, which I am continuing to work on slowly.

Sylvanian Cannon. Die Stahldorn



Circa 1994 Die Stahldorn and her second crew. The cannon was recovered from the Aver Reach at the place known as The Corpse Run.  The gun having formerly been mounted on the Nuln based Engineering College Vessel  SMS Pinaforte which ran aground and was subsequently abandoned when her paddle wheel drive shaft snapped in 1980. The gun was found to be in good working ordered although slight corrosion meant that several young children were paid half a wheel of Licheburg White Goat Cheese each to spend a week polishing the inside of the barrel. One small lad supposedly lost his finger when he reached deep inside the breach and a famous Aver eel bit him at the start of the cleaning process.




Gewhr Hauptmann Adelard Manheim took command of Die Stahldorn in 1992. The gruff Hauptmann is so deaf that he has resorted to answering any attempt to communicate with a deft grunt. However, he has a keen eye for targets of opportunity and in 1993  managed to fire two shots into a group of goblins as they advanced on his gun emplacement. The second shot being grape ripped apart the greenskins before they could cross the last few yards to the weapon. The event set a record according to a Nuln Engineer observing the process from the next emplacement some 100 yards away however as the powder did ignite before the crew could get clear and killed both Assistant Gunners it is not something that Manheim speaks of with pride or even as an achievement.



Stofel Tabner hails from the province of Stirland and has been marked as an outsider in his adopted town of Nachthafen. Stofel unknown to the locals is a wanted man having slit the throats of three merchants in a Inn he had been employed at. He fled Stirland and grew a beard hoping to avoid the authorities. Although working with the dangerous cannon has its moments Stofel is well aware of the greater risk should he return home he is one of the few men who can continue to heft the heavy shot for the gun with little rest.



Young Terrell has been working with the gun crew for less than a year. Assigned to the task of cleaning and then loading the powder into the gun he follows directions from the other crew members to the letter. Terrell hopes the few copper coins that are paid to him each week will eventually be enough to show he can support Milicent Wagner the daughter of the local Alderman.


Die Stahldorn would eventually be lost at the siege of Altdorf during the great siege. The gun was said to have been crewed by Zombies as early as 2009-10 but the fate of the gun crew and the deaf Hauptmann is not recorded in any honor role inside Sylvania or Stirland.




Enjoy.... comments welcomed. 

[Kirgan]

Nice I like idea with pictures 

[Novogord]

Looks like a family portrait.

[SlimShady]

  You have some great stuff.     Really really like the color scheme. 

[Tribun]

looking good overall, especially the skin-tone. Keep on!

[Alexious]

Thank you all for the comments please keep them coming or ideas for the army theme.

Addition of Two Wizards to the ranks of the Grand Army.




Ernst Pyrite and Peter Markov

Pyrite was a semi successful charlatan and minor hedge wizard well into his late teens before a member of the Imperial College found him on the streets of Nuln. Hoodwinked by the young thief over a matter of 30 silver coins the wizard decided that the stockade was far too an easy escape for Pyrite and instead turned him into a stone statue for a 30 day period in the middle of Paupers Square. When he reverted back to flesh and blood he was caked with bird droppings and had several washing lines strung about him and had the unpleasant memory of blind Freddy a filthy ancient begger urinating on him every morning before he would scratch his behind on his  arm and make deep grunting noises.

The punishing wizard however had only just started his interest in Pyrite and as he learnt the boy had a keen intellect and even keener dexterity. Making a deal between them Pyrite took on the role of apprentice to the wizard.  In 1999 with the Empire in the midst of another civil war Pyrite finally graduated from his chosen college of magic (metal) and began to look for employment with a wealthy merchant house or guild. He came to the attention of Hanz Ribbentof who was serving as the Sylvanian representative at the Altdorf Court at the time. Ribbentof employed the wizard eagerly and packed him back to Sylvania with a letter of explanation written to Vlad. Vlad was most pleased to have a member of the Gold Wizards serve his needs and Pyrite soon found himself isolated and kept in one of Drakenhoff's towers producing greater and greater quantities of gold and other precious metals to fund the growing Sylvanian military and constant remodelling of Drakenhoff and the outlying estates and baronies of those that had fallen under the sway of Vlad. When Vlad revealed himself as a Vampire to the Empire, Pyrite was a rare site on the battlefield usually kept producing and aiding the war effort from Drakenhoff. One notable exception being when he turned the Captain of the Papenheim town watch, at the Siege of Papenheim, into a solid brass block from the waist down.  After the death of Vlad, a trial in his abscence took place held at the Imperial College of Magic for him and his colleagues who had worked for Vlad where he was pronounced guilty of treason. Pyrite's fate was unknown however rumors several years after his death pointed to his capture not by forces of the Empire but by another group who invaded Castle Drakenhoff after Vlad's fall and plundered a quantity of warpstone in a daring night raid in which the attackers burrowed up from beneath the Castle and broke into the vaults.




Peter Markov hailed from Kislev and traveled to the Imperial College as a young man with his family who were river traders all the way to the Capital. A natural affinity for Amethyst magic soon drew the attention of certain scholars of obscure book shops in the capital and his family barge tied up in the River Riek was soon visited by two representatives, one from the Imperial College and one from the Temple of Sigmar. Markov's family immediately shunned the boy when it was learnt that he had been experimenting with trying to purchase certain forbidden books to do with the uses of blood in arcane rituals. The representative of the College decided against persecuting the youth if he agreed to undergo certain tests and after passing was ushered into the Amethyst college as an apprentice. Markov took his studies seriously and in 1997 he was approached by the head of the Amethyst order to take on a special mission for the College. He was to travel to Sylvania and take on the role of Court Magician for the Count of Sylvania. The Amethyst Order had long suspected Vlad had ties to dark magic due to his retarded aging process and they hoped to discover what magics he was employing to extend his life. All too soon they would find out the truth.


 Markov when he arrived in Sylvania found himself at home with the attraction of the purple wind of magic so strong in the province and his powers continued to develop. Throwing off his fealty to the College he embraced the study of the dark arts and further study of the Amethyst school of magic and aided Vlad in his efforts to create and control large populations of the Undead. Markov was tasked with discovering the secrets of controlling the Corpse Carts that still traveled their routes through the forgotten hamlets and villages of Sylvania and by 2010 when Vlad was prepared over 20 of the foul ancient creations answered his summons. Markov was last seen alive at the Siege of Altdorf battling a valiant Priest of Ulric that had taken to the field outside the walls of the city in the final attack by Vlad. According to the Church of Ulric the priest stepped forward and smote a blow through the body of the Wizard who vanished with a cry into a dark cloud of smoke leaving his blood on the priest's hammer. Markov was never seen again inside the Empire but rumors persist to this day of an spectral figure dressed in long flowing robes of purple often sighted on the outskirts of Mikalsdorf accompanied by several corpse carts carrying a rose bound Hourglass in hand.


 

[hwd]

Very nice work!

I know it is a small thing but I really like the photo frames you have added to your pictures!

[Erik Von Karlson]

Nice job so far! I really like your helstorm rocket.

[Alexious]

My Empire Engineer Vasaly Barsche.

Vasaly was responsible for the introduction of Black Powder weapons into the State Troops of Sylvania circa 1999 IC. Although having studied at Nuln for over 15 years he still spoke with a broad Kislev accent. His passion was rocketry and the new Helstrom Rocket Launcher he introduced helped Sylvania win several engagements in the lead up to the Vampire Wars. Rewarded with the Blood Kiss in 2009 by Pieter Van Carstein he would run afoul of Konrad and be pegged out to become target practice for captured Imperial Army Mortars.

[GamesPoet]

I like him!

This seems like a classic figure to me.  Couldn't decide how I wanted to paint him since I made a converted engineer for my Averland forces, I wanted mine to be a bit more generic.  Yet now that I'm sticking with Blue & Orange for my Marienburg Merchant House/Matorea/Middenland army, maybe I'll do something along the lines of your's.

Minor suggestion, try using a bit of Badab Black wash on the metal, and then maybe highlight.  It'll bring out a bit more of the detail.  When it first goes on it darkens the metal color, and that can be a bit of a surprise at first, but a little extra paint on the high points while not letting it flow into the crevaces, that can make it pop, yet just a little bit of the wash by itself can also look good.

[Obi]

I only just stumbled upon your army, but I like it! Well painted, I like the scheme and the way you do the eyes.

Now, perhaps for some core troops?

[Alexious]

New addition...

My fearless Imperial Gunners get another crew and item to help repulse the evil underhanded Stirlanders....





Kristien Goff has been part of the Mortar crew for just over 6 long months. He still covers his one good ear to muffle the sound when the mortar is fired. He lost his hearing in one ear after his first battle in 1998 IC.



Young Heinrich has only recently joined the army, a former farmer he has decided to seek fame and fortune in war rather than in the thin Sylvanian soil.



Guther has been a veteran now of several wars and is a bit addled. He was assigned to carry shot for the Mortar.




The Mortar "Cloud Burst". Named after the first battle she fought, when fired for the first time a roll of thunder engulfed the sky and it began to rain.

Enjoy..

[Pistol Pete]

Heh.  I love the tiny cannonball next to the giant trashcan-sized mortar muzzle. 

GW kind of dropped the ball there.  Would it have been so hard to make the hole more realistically sized?

You've done a really nice job with the red/purple scheme.  It's hard to pull off because the colors are so similar to each other.  I'd suggest a little more brown or black, though, to add a little more visual interest. 

The artillery crew in particular seem a little too red/purple.  Take the guy with the hat and mop.  If you painted his hat and vest brown or black it would give the eyes a little rest from the REDPURPLE effect.  The guy with the cannonball, on the other hand, looks nice with his brown jerkin.

Your basing is also very good.  Simple, clean, beautiful, and the little tufts of grass add a nice sene of realism.  So much nicer than the "goblin green & flock" bases of the 80s and 90s.