"An Updated Version Of The Classic, Iconic Chaos Warrior..."

"He can also hurl them [Chaos Axes] at cowardly foes who refuse to come close."

This 28mm scale "multi-part resin kit" of Slambo is made by “Games Workshop”, and comes supplied with a "Citadel" 40mm Round base. Originally a Warrior of Chaos Mortal miniature, dating back to "Warhammer Fantasy" Fourth Edition, this updated version of the "Exalted Hero of Chaos" comes armed "with a pair of Chaos Axes which he uses to carve apart enemies at close quarters."

I have previously seen this model painted in both red armour and more recently, green armour. But as I didn't want my 'Slave to Darkness' too closely associated with either Khorne or Nurgle, I ultimately decided to go with Slambo wearing basic plate armour, which I would subsequently 'grunge up' using "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, Agrax Earthshade and Biel-Tan Green. As a result I undercoated the "Age Of Sigmar" figure with "Citadel" Chaos Black and then applied a coat of Ironbreaker over him. Once this had dried, I washed the mortal with Nuln Oil and applied a heavy dry-brush of more Ironbreaker over the entire figure.

With the basic layering completed, I picked out the Legendary Killer's boots and axe staves with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, his knee-guards and roundels with "Vallejo" Brass and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and finally his axe-handles and horns with "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. The Glory-seeking Axeman's chainmail was treated to a wash from an old pot of Badab Black.

The Nurglings and Lord of Plagues are swamped by Dryads and Spite Revenants

I have immediately taken advantage of finishing Slambo by fielding him in a couple of 'friendly' battles against a Sylvaneth Force, which additionally uses Stormcast Eternals and Fyreslayers as allies. These games were played using the "Hold Or Die" Battleplan as originally found inside the "Warhammer: Age Of Sigmar" hardback rule-book; a potentially one-sided scenario which reflects "the courageous stand of Jactos Goldenmane's Stormcast Eternals against Khul's Goretide."

For our first game however, we re-imagined my Host's Lord of Plagues leading a ten-strong unit of Plaguebearers, a Rotbringers Sorcerer and some Nurglings into a Sylvaneth Branchwraith's Golden Glade, and disconcertingly finding themselves surrounded by a far superior force whilst "deep in enemy territory". Fortunately, help is supposedly near at hand in the shape of some additional Nurgle units, but my invading party must first "hold out long enough for it to arrive."

Disappointingly, despite the reinforcements supposedly arriving in the Movement Phase of Nurgle's Second Turn, my starting line-up didn't actually survive the initial onslaught long enough to see them, and therefore lost the fight before Slambo, Karanak and a plethora of additional Plaguebearers, Beasts of Nurgle and Bloodletters could even be brought onto the battlefield. Such a dismal performance seemed something of a certainty straight from the scenario's start though, as my usually reliable Chaos Sorcerer, failed to cast a Balewind Vortex with the opening dice roll of the game.

A Treelord dominates the centre of the battlefield, whilst the Lord of Plagues is surrounded and killed

Eager to meet the Forest's Custodians head-on, I also found my slow-moving units getting badly peppered by arrows during the Shooting Phase and even the Cloud of Flies which made hitting my lesser daemons that extra bit harder, failed to save them when so very many missiles were turning the sky black. Admittedly my General impressively slew a handful of Spite Revenants before being brought to his knees, but my Nurglings failed to land a single blow upon a tide of Dryads despite rolling in excess of twenty Attack Dice during the conflict; their +5 to Hit and then +5 to Wound proving especially difficult to achieve.

Sadly the Chaos Gods didn't smile much upon me when we reversed roles and played "Hold Or Die" again either. Though this might have had something to do with the fact that instead of my opponent's meagre invasion force being comprised of a leader and some Battleline fodder as mine had comprised of, the Sylvaneth intruded upon one of Nurgle's swamplands with a Treelord at their helm, along with Kurnoth Hunters, ten Stormcast Eternals and even a Knight Venator, complete with celestial talon-firing star eagle!?!

Despite their great number the Plaguebearers are torn apart by the Stormcast Eternals

Needless to say, much of my entire Host's might was ineffectively dashed against the bark-covered behemoth stood in the centre of the battlefield, and if it hadn't been for a dose of Nurgle's Rot, I doubt the Treelord would've been wounded at all. It was certainly hard for my Nurglings' tiny teeth, no matter how razor sharp, to penetrate any of the wooden sinews of these Guardians of the Deepwood, even when supported by a twenty-model strong unit of Plaguebearers, and two lolloping Beasts Of Nurgle. And that of course, was before any of the Sylvaneth rescuers arrived...

Most demoralising however, was the utter impotence of my Khorne allied contingent, who were literally shot to pieces by some (massively overpowered) Kurnoth Hunters before they even reached their foe. These 'Envoys of the Evergreen' had the ability to fire their deadly greatbows even whilst their tiny Quiverlings incredibly kept Karanak and Slambo at bay with just their vicious claws, and resultantly caused my entire left flank to collapse.

Ultimately this scenario did provide me with a few enjoyable moments as my Rotbringer's Sorcerer almost single-handedly destroyed a unit of Fyreslayers by covering the orange-haired dwarves with a stream of corrupted vomit, and my Herald of Nurgle won his lengthy duel with a Branchwych. True, such victories are minor compared to the battering my Host of Nurgle took, but I'm already looking forward to my next game of "Age Of Sigmar", and the "War Of The Storm".