Good morning gamers,
Tiberius: We're doing something special for Christmas this year - I reached out to people across the international SBG community, and asked them to pass along a "Christmas list" that they ran this year and what they liked about it. The gentleman who is providing our first list needs no introduction (but I'm giving him one anyway): if you've interacted at all with the SBG podcasting community or spent any time at all on the GBHL Facebook page or their website, you know the name Harry Parkhill. Yes, it's the Ent, the myth, the Legend himself, bringing us a very fun take on a very dominant list in SBG right now - take it away, Harry!
Harry: On the first day of advent, SBG game to me . . . "an army of Red and Gold a-gleam . . ."
It was March when I took my Dragon Emperor on his last outing before retirement. Clearly the fearsome general is an imposing sight on the tabletop, regularly reaching top tables and winning tournaments for the formerly pitiful Easterlings. The poor souls in Red and Gold had been unloved by so many for so long but the arrival of Rutabi, Brorgir, Acolytes and the Emperor changed that for certain.
I'd known for some time I'd be resting the force; I'd painted 95% of my Easterling models (the Mounted Khamul, the Third banner and horseless Kataphraktoi are stored away for a rainy day) and they were becoming an all too common sight on the tabletops. I don't mind playing competitive lists, but I do detest a mirror match, so to the confines of an old plastic GW case they'd go . . .
But not before they had one last chance to show their worth.
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| If this was to be the end, I would have them make such an end to be worthy of remembrance. |
So, the destination was to be Side By Side without a Friend, an event organised by Harry West and Tim Elwess in Lincoln. It was a great idea for an event. 600pts but you were to play Doubles Matches without a partner, so your army had to essentially be two 300pt forces.
I knew I'd be taking my Easterlings for the last time so I wanted to use the models I'd not used once: my Gleaming Horde of Kataphrakts.
The drummer had been an essential in every list but after an initial one or two games with the Easterlings the Kataphrakts were dropped in favour of more pikes and/or Acolytes . . . despite me having a huge amount of plastic and metal models painted up. I even have many converted with axes and/or painted as Black Dragons (should the need arise).
And it did.
My army was all mounted. The Emperor on his (ridiculous) palanquin, accompanied by two Dragon Knights (one converted from a spare drummer).
- Force A: The Dragon Emperor
- 4 Black Dragon Kataphrakts with weapon-swapped axes
- 5 Black Dragon Kataphrakts
- Force B1: Dragon Knight on armored horse
- 1 Black Dragon Kataphrakt with weapon-swapped axe
- 2 Black Dragon Kataphrakts
- 1 Black Dragon Kataphrakt with banner
- Force B2: Dragon Knight on armored horse
- 1 Black Dragon Kataphrakt with weapon-swapped axe
- 1 Black Dragon Kataphrakt
- 1 Black Dragon Kataphrakt with war drum
Some would argue the army wasn't optimised. And they'd be right. The second banner was largely perfunctory and Kataphrakts aren't particularly well costed (even with the free Black Dragon upgrade) but I don't care. This was a glorious four games. The drum was fantastic - launching golden knights around the table at break-neck speed to surround and flank opponents. Bringing the two halves of my army together in the doubles scenarios to have a chance at a glorious charge at one half of the opponent's force. F5 Kataphrakts Piercing Striking with their axes to allow for easier killing.
It was a bloodbath.
Red smears were left on the battlefield wherever the Easterlings charged . . . only, the smears were of the calamitous mess made by Easterlings failing on almost every turn. What seemed like a final charge to be remembered by and prove that Easterlings didn't have to be built in the current "meta" way never quite materialised.
I lost two games, drew another and managed a win eventually.
But it was still the favourite army I took to an event this year. The Red and Gold arrow formation of Kataphrakts looked gorgeous alongside the Emperor (which - now we've seen him so much - it's easy to forget is an INCREDIBLE model). The games were a hoot and the army played unlike anything else on the tabletop. So as you approach Christmas this year spare a thought for the Easterling Kataphrakt when compiling that letter to Father Christmas. Perhaps the sound of hooves on Christmas Eve will be the thunder of a Gleaming Horde instead of Rudolph and the gang atop your roof.
Tiberius: Thanks Harry for that lovely list - sorry they didn't ride over everyone as gloriously as was hoped! Be sure to check out Harry's links in the side-bar! We're breaking our usual programming schedule and will have the next list out in two days - until next time, Merry Christmas and happy hobbying!
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