What’s Next

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So, I’ve decided Necrons are a no-go.  The games I’ve played with them haven’t felt right, and what little inspiration I’ve found for painting them is wholly uninspired.  Holding out for the rumored Tau update (I’m super-pumped to revisit Tau, my first army, but I can’t bring myself to do it this side of an update) feels like the smarter move.

But, I’ve got to work on something and, more pressingly, my birthday and Christmas are coming up, so I’ve got to have something hobby-related to put on a list.
So, I’ve decided to move on the Empire thing that’s been rattling around since late August.  Pajama pants and feathered hats, here I come!
I took advantage of TheWarStore‘s Black Friday sale to load up on some battalions, and I’ve assembled another test model to fiddle with.  
The key to what I want to do is nautical-themed, “Fist of Manann” type army.  Nautical iconography and such.  The only decision point I’m hung up on is whether I should do them as a Marienburg force or a Nordland force.
Initially, I’d decided on Nordland.  I’m starting to rethink that, though.  Googling around for ideas turns up a disconcerting number of swastikas (seriously, WTF Norway?), and reading deeper into the fluff turns up that Nordlanders tend to assert Sigmar- and Ulric-worship aggressively to try to make up for their mixed-Norscan heritage… which undermines the Manann thing I’m going for.
Marienburg hits all of the points that Nordland was supposed to hit (which makes sense, given that Theoderic Gausser claims rule over it), but without the bumpkinhood that comes with Nordland.  They’ve don’t lose any of the nautical conversion potential, and their independent, mercenary nature offers room for some more creative conversion.

On the other hand, Nordland lets me paint up a Bill the Goat.

Anyway, I need to noodle on this a bit.

In the meantime, the a first cut of what I look to be running is:

Lords
Arch Lector of Manann – General, Heavy Armor, Sword of Might, Shield of the Gorgon, Van Horstman’s Speculum
Wizard Lord – Lvl 4, Shadow, Seal of Destruction, Crimson Amulet

Heroes
Battle Wizard – Lvl 1, Beasts, Dispel Scroll
Captain of the Empire – BSB, Shield, Armor of Meteoric Iron
Master Engineer
Warrior Priest – Heavy Armor, Shield, Warhorse, Barding, Biting Blade, Obsidian Amulet

Core
Halberdiers x39 – Musician, Standard Bearer
– Archers x15
– Free Company x15
Knights of the Albatross x9 – Musican, Standard Bearer, Banner of Eternal Flame
Swordsmen x30 – Full Command
– Archers 15

Special
Great Cannon
Great Cannon
Mortar
Mortar

Rare
Steam Tank

I’ve no illusions that there’s room to improve this.  What I’m starting out with looks a lot like my Skaven army… but with better troops, better, more reliable shooting, more magic options and stronger magic defense.  There’s no Plague Furnace equivalent in there, but… this is a start.