Stocktaking 2021 - Warhammer Underworlds

 I thought I'd start with Warhammer Underworlds... Not because it is the game I am MOST interested in playing (though I am very interested in playing a lot more of this!), it just seemed the easiest. There is a finite set of options - a set number of warbands with a set number of models within it and no options to fiddle around with... 

THE WABANDS 

There are, to date, thirty-eight different warbands available. Many are long out of print and hard (and expensive) to track down. 

I currently own twenty-eight of them (and there are a few I have multiple copies of... for... REASONS!?)!? ALL of them I have acquired in the last year (I picked up my first warband on Boxing Day last year and only started playing in January)!

That first warband I bought painted up for myself was Morgwaeth's Blade-Coven. I initially picked it up because I thought I'd be able to make use of it in Warcry and or Age of Sigmar... and also keep it as teh ONE Warhammer Underworlds warband I'd have that would be MY warband... should I ever play the game... Then, in doing so, got sucked down the rabbithole of Warhammer underworlds. 

Amanda, once I introduced her to the game, quickly claimed Morgwaeth's and HERS and has almost exclusively played with them!

DONE...

The warbands I have that are DONE and ready to play with any time! 

Garrek's Reavers 

I have THREE of this warband... two are painted - and I did a SUPER FAST (and not-to-pretty) job just to get them DONE... the third I still have to do and might take my time with those ones... You can see both painted ones here (one was given to Finnegan to use with the rest of his Blood Reavers - which I painted up at the same time): 

Khorne Bloodreavers and Tzeentch Horrors

The Dread Pageant

The Dread Pageant - The second warband I painted. For myself, that is, I'd painted a bunch for my friend John - in fact, I got Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm - from whence these came, in exchange for painting two of his other Warhammer Underworlds warbands...  strangely, I got into this, thinking I'd end up playing with him... and we've yet to play a game... 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: The Dread Pageant

Khagra's Ravagers

Khagra's Ravagers - another one of the early warbands I picked up - right when it came out in March and painted up straight away - I was very excited about Chaos stuff at the moment... Haven't played them for a while. 

More pics here:

Khagra's Ravagers

Sepulchral Guard

The Sepulchral Guard I bought a used copy of Shadespire and with it came this warband. It had been completely painted... so I mostly just touched these up and made them look a little more like the other warbands I have... 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds - Sepulchral Guard

I also painted one of these for John some time ago, you can see them here: 

Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire - Sepulchral Guard

Thorns of the Briar Queen

Thorns of the Briar Queen came from the Nightvault box and I painted TWO of them (one for me, one for John) at the same time (as John bought two Nightvault boxes and gave me one in exchange for painting the two warbands in the box for him)

More pics (of both warbands) here:

Thorns of the Briar Queen

Lady Harrow's Mournflight

Lady Harrow's Mournflight was originally released in Dreadfane - a simplified version of Warhammer Underworlds sold as a standalone in Barnes & Noble stores... then released as part of Beastgrave as Champions of Dreadfane - along with Ironsoul's Condemnors. 

They are proving to be a TOUGH warband to beat! 

More pics here:

Lady Harrow's Mournflight

The Grymwatch

The Grymwatch - Ghouls of the Flesheater Courts - released as part of "Season Three" - Beastgrave.

I've played them once or twice... Larger warbands are tricky... They do some cool things and you almost always never run out of guys to do stuff with... but they bleed Glory to your opponent as they just slaughter your weak little warriors... 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: The Grymwatch

Ironskull’s Boyz

Ironskull’s Boyz - one of the warbands from "Season One" (Shadespire) - this warband I picked up in the same used lot as Sepulchral Guard above (and Magore's Fiends, below). 

More pics here:

Ironskull’s Boyz

This is another warband that I'd painted a copy earlier for my friend John. You can see those here:

Ironskull's Boyz

Morgok's Krushas

Morgok's Krushas - three large and terrifying Ironjaw Orrucks. Released as part of Beastgrave. I played them ONCE, so far, and they just smashed Morgweath's Blade-Coven to bitz... Point proven... moved on... 

I'm going to have to try them against Lady Harrow's Mourflight. 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: Morgok's Krushas

Steelheart's Champions

Steelheart's Champions were one of the first two warbands released for Warhammer Underworlds -  included in Shadespire - the very first box set for Warhammer underworlds. They were also rereleased as a Nightvault warband - and that it what I originally pick up... two of them... and then I got a third when I picked up a used copy of Shadespire... 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: Steelheart's Champions

I also painted one of these, years ago for a friend when he first picked Shadespire when it was first released, you can see those here:

Stormcast Eternals Warband for Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire

Stormsire’s Cursebreakers

Stormsire's Cursebreakers are all battle-mages of the Sacrosanct Chamber. Yes - ALL THREE are mages - and inspire by successfully casting a spell. Stormsire's Cursebreakers were included in the Nightvault core-box along with the Thorns of the Briar Queen. 

More pics here (including the second team I painted for John):

Warhammer Underworlds: Stormsire's Cursebreakers

Ironsoul's Condemnors

Ironsoul's Condemnors, the Third Stormcast Eternal warband I painted, are Sequitors of the Hammers of Sigmar. Sequitors are the line infantry of a Sacrosanct Chamber - the same chamber Stormsire's Cursebreakers hail from.

Ironsoul's Condemnors were originally included in the game Dreadfane - a simplified version of Warhammer Underworlds exclusively available through Barnes & Noble. The models and their cards were rereleased as part of the Beastgrave line in Champions of Dreadfane (along with Lady Harrow's Mournflight) 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: Ironsoul's Condemnors

Morgwaeth's Blade-Coven

Morgwaeth's Blade-Coven - the very first Warhammer Underworlds warband I painted - for myself! I initially picked it up because I thought I'd be able to make use of it in Warcry and or Age of Sigmar... and also keep it as the ONE Warhammer Underworlds warband I'd have that would be MY warband... should I ever play the game... Then, in doing so, got sucked down the rabbithole of Warhammer underworlds. 

Of course, once I introduced Amanda to the game, she quickly claimed Morgwaeth's and HERS and has almost exclusively played with them!

I even bought the fancy warband specific dice for them! 

More pics here:

Warhammer Underworlds: Morgwaeth's Blade-Coven

Storm of Celestus

Storm of Celestus - yet ANOTHER Stormcast Eternal warband. These were released as part of the current Two-Player Starter - After Direchasm, before Waterdeep, with boards reprinted from Shadespire/Nightvault, and making use of Easy-Build miniatures that had previously been released... but not previously released as part of a Warhammer Underworlds set (also included were Drepur's Wraithcreepers). 

I haven't actually painted the ones from the box... but because I had bought the previously released Easy-Build kit and painted those... I instantly had another useable Warband. 

More pics here:

STILL MORE Stormcast Eternals

So... I have a LOT of warbands I can play with at any time... and have done so throughout this past year. We have played TWENTY-TWO games of Warhammer Underworlds so far this year. Some of these are clearly better than others and may or may not get used THAT much... 

STILL TO DO...

These probably all should be fairly HIGH PRIORITY - they are small, relatively easy to quickly paint up (when I can remain FOCUSED, on ON THING!) and can immediately be used in a game that I HAVE been playing a LOT of!!!

ALL of these are assembled and primed... though I have noted that, for a few of them, it would probably have been better to paint parts of them BEFORE fully assembling... 

MORE Garrek's Reavers

Yeah... I have MORE of them... 

Magore's Fiends

Came with the used Shadespire box. Hopefully they can be combines with Garrek's Reavers to make up a pretty bad-ass Warcry warband. 

Grashrak's Despoilers

These are part of the Warhammer Underworlds: Beastgrave core box... which was bought for me, by John, in exchange for painting some Frostgrave figures... which I haven't finished yet... so I feel kind of funny about painting these, if I haven't painted those yet... so... I should probably GET TO painting those!!!

The Wurmspat

Normally I don't go for Nurgle stuff, but these looked fun.. and there was a fun little story about then in the Direchasm short story collection. I bought a FEW warbands, just based on the short stories in that book. Darn them... 

The Crimson Court

SUPER COOL looking Vampire Lords that I HAD to pick up as soon as they came out! 

So cool were they, that there were more people that wanted them than my FLGS got! Luckily, I'd asked waaaaaaaay in advance, so I got a set. 

So cool were they, that the other people that wanted them, locally, didn't even want them FOR Warhammer Underworlds... One wanted them for their Vampire Age of Sigmar army... another apparently wanted them to convert to Drukhari!? 

Also though, along with the Cursed City miniatures, I'd have the beginnings of a small-ish Vampire army for Age of Sigmar... or at least a Warcry Warband...? 

Drepur's Wraithcreepers

The other Easy-Build set that made up the Two-Player Starter set. 

Mollog's Mob

Funny story... these look like a fun little mob... the Warhammer Underworlds warband is long out of print... but, as with MOST of the out-of-print Warhammer Underworlds warbands, they've been re-released as Easy-Build kits for Age of Sigmar. My Other Other Friend named Jon pointed out an online listing of Age of Sigmar stuff in Regina - the other city in Saskatchewan, in which he resides - and included in it was the CARDS for Mollog's Mob - because the guy had bought the Underworlds warband to use the Troggoth in his Gloomspite Gitz Age of Sigmar army... so I got John to pick those up for me (they were $5) and I ordered in the EAsy-Build kit and *BOOM* I have Mollog's Mob... now I just need to get them PAINTED.

Mollog is the biggest Baddest mofo in the whole game... only one with SEVEN wounds... the others are kind of useless. One doesn't even move. Another flies around and can't hold objectives. Not really sure what their deal is... probably just MOLLOG SMASH! but can he smash enough, quick enough to do well...? 

Hrothgorn's Mantrappers

Funny little story about them in the Direschasm short story collection. Kind of what inspired me to pick them up. They look so crazy - one REALLY BIG hard hitter, a Giant Chompy-Cat, and a bunch of little useless gitz. Hilarity ensues! 

Da Kunnin' Krew

Da Kunnin' Krew. Kruelboyz Orruck warband that came with Harrowdeep. Hope there are Age of Sigmar stats for these at some point. (maybe there are and I just haven't looked...) 

MORE Steelheart's Champions

ANOTHER set of Steelheart's Champions. 

I don't know. 

They were a good deal. 

It seemed like a good idea at the time. 

STILL MORE Steelheart's Champions

This set of Steelheart's Champions came with the used copy of Shadespire I bought... I don't know... I initially thought I'd just repaint them... but they are pretty well painted... I'll probably leave them for now. Maybe I'll give them away. 

Thundrik's Profiteers

I can't, for the life of me, remember why I picked these ones up... maybe just thought they looked cool at the time. Honestly, that's the MAIN reason I buy ANY miniature... and am almost always disapointed that their performance in the game isn't commensurate with the coolness of the model... 

I found them listed in a store in Barrie, Ontario, of all places, and they weren't absurdly overpriced - I think they were just selling them for their original price...?

Loking at the cards when they arrived, I'm not sure how well they will perform in the game... seem pretty weak... for DWARVES!? 

Ylthari's Guardians

Same story as Thundrik's above - The story in Barrie happened to have these as well, and while I was paying for shipping, figured I might as well get them at the same time. At this point, I'm actually MORE interested in these than Thundrik's. These Sylvaneth look like they might have some fun tricks up their sleeves... or... bark... or.... whatever... 

THIS is one of the warbands that I'm kind of regretting fully assembling before painting... Not sure how I'm going to paint that base for Ylthari under all those vines?! 

Skaeth's Wild Hunt

Same story as Grashrak's Despoilers above... 

Myari's Purifiers

Came with Direchasm. Got REALLY EXCITED about getting them done right after the Dread Pageant.... then... got distracted. The first story in the Direchasm short story collection was about a battle between Myari's group and the Dread Pageant. 

Elathain's Soulraid

Creepy, Soul-Sucking Murder Elves with Chompy-Fish and Giant Crab... who could pass THOSE up!? 

Storm of Celestus

The Other set of Castigators - that came in the Two-Player Starter box. 

Xandire's Truthseekers

MORE Stormcast Eternals - that came in the Harrowdeep box. 

PRIORITIES

Part of this taking stock is to try and set out some priorities and help me focus to get things done in a sensible order. Some considerations:

Easy to Paint

Mostly Done

Number in the Group

Which Look Fun and/or Interesting to PLAY! 

Wurmspat seems an obvious place to start. There are only three. They're MOSTLY painted. They're not the EASIEST... to paint... but being MOSTLY done already goes a long way... and they have a fun narrative and they look TOUGH - not sure if that will make them any good in the game... but they're close to the top of the list of THINGS TO DO

Before them, though, I'll probably finish up Drepur's Wraithcreepers. There are only four. They're mostly painted - I think I only really need to finish the bases...? Can also be combined with other Nighthaunts - like the Chainrasps from the Thorns of the Briar Queen and the Myrmourn Banshees from Lady Harrow's Mournflight. 

After those...? Probably Hrothgorn's or Mollog's warbands. They seem like a bit more work, but I'm curious to see how ONE BIG BADDIE will do against some of the other warbands - in particular against the ones Amanda likes to play... 

After THOSE...? maybe Magore's because they'd be easy enough to finish up... 

THEN!? Who can say... I should get these four or five done and re-asses... 

ARE THESE going to be THE priority? I don't know. I have other games I want to play and things I want to paint for them... Stay tuned, I guess...? 

STUFF TO GET!?

Of the warbands that have been released that I don't have.... There is one I'd definitely like to pick up - The Starblood Stalkers (and, convenietly, still readily available). There are two others that are also readily available that I MIGHT pick up... Rippa's Snarlfangs and Hedkrakka’s Madmob... Of the out-of-print ones there are two that, for various reasons, I think might be fun to pick up, if ever I found them for a reasonable price - Eyes of the Nine and Zarbag's Gitz... and... maybe The Chosen Axes and 2. Spiteclaw's Swarm just to have some Fyreslayers and Skaven... 

AS for upcoming releases... 

"Season Five" is looking a little slimmer than previous seasons. There have been about 8-10 warbands released with each of the previous seasons. We know the one in 2022Q1 is the Ogre Pirate... and then nothing else until Q2... Should give me a chance to catch up with what I have to paint and reassess whether I want to continue to pick up MORE for this game...!? 

The handy thing about all of these warbands is MANY of them can be combined with other Warhammer Underworlds warbands of the same faction - or other Warhammer/Age of Sigmar miniatures I happen to have (or... could get...?) to make Warcry warbands. I did buy ALL the books for the game (Core Rules and the four Grand Alliance army books - that have the rules for ALL of the different warbanda that could currently be played!) and I DID play ONE GAME of it back in January... which was fun... Maybe I will do Warcry next - as it is also easy and relatively limited in scope (because there are very specific warbands that use very specific, proprietary miniatures... ) 

I think I may also publish this as a PAGE for more easy reference in the future...