Faction Action 3 of 4

Most people have gotten into the game either through Warmachine, or Hordes. Both are compatible with each other, yet offer very different mechanics. I got into Hordes for the sole reason of wanting to experience something different, yet familiar.

So here we are folks, moving onto the Hordes factions as I hit the 3rd part of the Faction Action series (if you can call it that).

First up…

Trollbloods

Fluff: The Trollbloods are nomads on a constant move in a world filled with strife and constant warfare. They are a collection of disparate tribes, called Kriel, united together to face a common enemy: everyone else.

They are beat upon, lied to, backstabbed, and generally looked down upon as a consequence of their lineage. Aka the Underdogs, with a capital U. And so they fight back. Hard

They are most akin to the ‘good guys’ of Hordes. They put honor and pride, Kith and Kriel above all else. Even though the trollkin are descendants of trolls, even their genetic make-up looks ‘good’ (as in nice guys you don’t want to mess with. This only applies to the Trollblood faction, though).

If you are a player looking for an underdog faction to wreck unholy vengeance on everyone else, Trollbloods are for you. As for me, the fluff didn’t really pull me in at first. They don’t have any semblance of military unity, for one (that’s a general Hordes thing). And the ‘nomad underdogs  on the run united for a common cause’ card has been played a few times before. So what happened?

Epic Madrak happened, that’s what. Now, not only are they on the run, but they are desperate as well, as their very future lies on the decisions of their great leader. Then there’s internal squabbling. It actually started to pull me in.

Do you remember that kid in high school? the foreign overweight kid with a German accent? The one who brings a pet bear to school one day, which then proceeds to maul and eat every student? He’s Trollblood.

Aesthetics: The general color scheme of Trollbloods is a bluish hue to the skin, but skin color varies widely according to location and lineage.

The Trollbloods are unique in that all their beasts are trolls.

This I got to say, though, since it’s the reason I got into Trollbloods in the first place. I’m not sure if it is a result of the nomadic heritage fluff that Privateer has written for them, but (in my opinion) Every. Single. Model. Ooozes. Character. There’s tons of details on every model, be it a trooper, warlock or warbeast. The Troll Impaler carries a pouch filled with food. Borka has two brass bombs hanging from his codpiece. The Trollkin Champions carry little kegs of beer. Its the little details that make them stand out. It will be a pain to paint, sure, but it would be oh so satisfying to plonk them down on the table after. I just hope mine don’t suffer the same fate as my poor Khador (the MoWs are literally broken and battered).

Even if you don’t play Trollbloods, I believe that each model is a painters’ muse.

Rules: The Trollbloods are all about surviving and the counter-attack. All Trollkins have tough, and all Trolls regenerate. They are slow, but have high armor, and ways to boost it even higher, making them a hardy force to face. The Trollblood also hit very hard and often in melee you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that can stand toe-to-toe to the trolls to duke it out.

The warbeasts come in three flavours: light, weapon wielding trolls, light, elemental trolls, and heavy smashy-smashy hungry dire trolls. The warbeasts have very versatile animi for a defensive or offensive boost, but most have animi to punigh your enemies further.

The Trollbloods do have ranged options, and even a ranged-expert warlock, but they are mostly about getting in your face as quickly as possible. The strategy is very akin to Khador, though, so if you want something different if you are already playing Khador, you may want to look somewhere else.

Skorne

Fluff: The Skorne are a malicious, sadistic race hellbent on conquering Western Immoren. Rival Skorne houses were brought together under one banner (as is so prevalent in the Skorne army) by the equally malicious and vicious ex-king of Cygnar, Vinter. He’s pissed that his brother kicked him off the throne, and now he wants it back. Going solo is not an option, so what better way than to manipulate an entire race into all-out war with his homeland?

The Skorne are vicious by nature and tradition, made that way by the harsh environments in which they live. This fluff got me into Skorne (though they are currently on hold) in the first place, alongside their penchant to enslave awesome looking warbeasts. I’m going to have to report on the abuse of baby pachyderms, though.

If you are a player who’s into ancient cultures with a fetish for piercings and death, Skorne’s the faction for you.

Do you remember that kid in high school? The one with heavy piercings, a vicious streak and an obsession with self-mutilation? He’s Skorne.

Aesthetics: The main color scheme of Skorne is a rich red with gold trimmings. The warbeasts have a sickly discoloration to them, due to the constant abuse. Skorne doesn’t give a damn about the SPCA.

There’s a very samurai-esque vibe with Skorne overall. The masks, laquered look of the armor and a prevalence of katanas and other Japanese inspired weaponry sort of speaks for itself.

Honestly, I hate most of the Skorne models. The warlocks are okay-ish, but it’s the infantry that I hate the most, which is an irony since Skorne is about the infantry. Despite the ornate trimmings and designs on the armor, Skorne infantry are generally ugly and a bitch to assemble. Maybe it’s the faces (since I love the Paingivers, both Beast Handlers and Bloodrunners). Maybe it’s the ungodly amount of banners (tone it down, geez! We get your love for your race already). Whatever it is, it’s a shame I can’t feel for the infantry like I do the solos and warbeasts.

Talking about warbeasts, they are the sole reason I got into Skorne in the first place. The cyclopii, to be exact. Never have I seen (my opinion, of course) a more beautifully done aesthetic. All the cyclopii are gorgeous, and the poses are magnificent. If they ever come up with a better beast-centric warlock than Morghoul for Skorne, I’d pick him up in a heartbeat, and start playing Skorne again.

Rules: The Skorne have the most advanced military organization of the Hordes faction, a fact that is abundantly prevalent in the general strategy of Skorne. It’s all about the infantry here (drawing comparisons to Protectorate of Menoth). the infantry are by themselves rather weak. But all Skorne warlocks (apart from Morghoul) buff them to whole new levels of horridness. As an integrated army, the Skorne are mean, vicious and hard to put down. They can lay down a torrent of heavy-hitting attacks. Another unique aspect of Skorne strategy is that death isn’t necessarily the end. The Skorne utilize souls much like the Protectorate of Menoth and Cryx, and a number of warlocks have spells that extend the use of units even after their demise. Souls are gathered to power other units and solos, like the Immortals and Ancestral Guardians. For Skorne, death is just a minor inconvenience.

If that’s the style of play you are looking for, Skorne’s the faction for you. I like it. It’s very different from what I normally play.

Up Next: The Legion that Breaks All Rules of Engagement, and Eco-Terrorists off to save the World!

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