This began as a bit of almost-mistake. A long time ago, I painted some rangers, soldiers, and peasants for Rangers of Shadow Deep, and they of course needed some enemies to fight. So I got some Fireforge Living Dead... and to my dread found them fun to paint.
Then I needed to paint some objectives for a painting challenge, and had some MDF graves lying around...
Next thing I know, I'm making plans for ALL the zombies (and finally found a use for that necromancer I had lying around). Oops?
The plan is to run them for SAGA: Age of Magic, but they can of course be used anywhere and everywhere a bunch of zombies on round bases can be used (and with base adapters, I have even more options).
Where it all started, with some dead peasants that didn't lie down (and then, somehow, there were more dead peasants refusing to lie down... as well as some worn down soldiers). It helps that Undead levies in SAGA: AoM comes in packs of 20 (then fireforge sell their peasant zombies in packs of 18...)
And then there were the graves. Simple extra additions to a Frostgrave Mausoleum, but put them on a round base, and they make excellent low-profile SAGA objectives.
Of course, if doing a real undead horde, one might want some heavier zombies, that may still remember how to swing a blade, and not just drown you in numbers (I said just drown you in numbers, these still do some of that).
As an adaptation for saga, I needed some zombie archers as well (even if most undead seem to not favour ranged weapons). It was a bit of kitbash, but the end result is quite nice. And it gave me a good opportunity to mess up some models.
All the various soldiers are a mix of local and not-so-local warbands, so if one wants a closer look at each provider (it is very nice of Fireforge to make their zombies in a mix of armours, giving a natural variation)
I am especially proud of the fellows with purple and yellow shields. I imagine that they are what remains of a mercenary company famous for their "golden" armour... that is now all verdigris, as it was apparently more brass than gold.
There are a few undead that seem to have known what they were up for, even before they died. They form to hearthguard knights of the warband. And the rust makes them look absolutely badass. It is no idea to run, you'll just die tired...
An alternative to knights as Shock Troops, would be some strange spiders found deep in the darkest forests. Their poison seem to have natural reanimating properties, and they're surprisingly willing to follow strong necromancers... (these are also a remnant from the start of this as Rangers of Shadow Deep, since necromantic spiders are a foe there in some missions)
Then there is, of course, the driving Characters (can't really call them heroes...) of it all.
The Necromancer (and his raised doggo) responsible for it all (Warlord in SAGA terms, since Undead do have the option of a spellcaster warlord for obvious reasons). It is a bit uncertain if he's still alive, or if he's immersed himself in necromancy to the point of being technically undead himself...
His Apprentice (a Sorcerer in SAGA terms, for when I need twice the magic... and just a cool model). Very pale, but probably still alive. Very loyal to his master, and it might not even be magic control.
And the Black Knight, an old (dead) nobleman, raised and kept control as the Necromancers lieutenant, in both Mounted and on Foot versions. Somehow, this character told me his entire life story as I painted him (aside from his name, but I know he had a Bar Sinister in silver over black as his heraldry). How he murdered his own half-brother, because he was better suited to rule, and how it was only right and proper that he then try to conquer the world, as he had the power, the will, and the right, noble blood. He also ranted a fair bit about the heroes that put him in his grave, but somehow just because they had the power and will to defeat him, it didn't make it right... and now his blood is all gone, and the Necromancer keeps him very strictly bound to prevent backstabbing (or frontstabbing, or sidestabbing... the Black Knigth isn't particular how he stabs to gain power).
And then I got to paint a dragon. Slight wear and tear, as with most of the force, but for a dragon, death isn't really that much of a stop. Or possibly, the Necromancer has just pumped the corpse full of necromantic energy, as he is wont to do.
Now I just need to figure out how to transport them all (the dragon is really the tricky part, that fellow is HUGE). And somehow, I still don't have everything I need for that Rangers of Shadow Deep scenario...
/Fool Out
