Skeletons! Faarsands of 'em! - RRD2 Nightmare Legion finished!

The Nightmare Legion, in all their glory!

Or, more accurately and not misquoting 'Zulu', one hundred of them, and the Nightmare Legion, to be precise!

These have been sat unfinished on my painting table for well over six months, taking up a huge block of space that could have been used for something more interesting, and so I was determined to get them finally done. Frankly, having a hundred-strong Nightmare Legion regiment was a stupid idea, and it turned into an absolute grind, as with the best will in the world, they're not actually very good models, apart from Mordini and Renzo.

Fear the mass of near-identical mediocre sculpts!

Paintwise, I've gone for a simple red and gold theme, with shields that mimic the ones on the original box, but not the plastic ones that would have been a pain to get hold of. I also didn't fancy painting 100 identical shields. Or, more accurately, if you look at the original box, cutting out 100 paper skulls and sticking them on the shields! They're actually Qin Chinese shields from 1st Corps that I attacked with a file to damage them. Other than that, and the numbers, they're as they came out of the box.

Command, showing Renzo (L) and Mordini (R), flanked by standard bearer and musician

Creating this 100-strong regiment was a bit of an accident, to be honest. I've been buying up a 3rd Ed Undead army on and off for years, and so I bought one box of them, but every bulk eBay lot I picked up would have a few more in, until I ended up with about 90-odd. 100 seemed a logical figure to reach, so I bought a few more and made up the magic number. I then gave myself the objective of getting them all painted, which to be honest, has turned into an utterly tedious job.

Slightly higher angle shot, showing their massed ranks.

And finally, here's the Background fluff from the box:

The Story of The Nightmare Legion.

The autumn rain hammered down on the armoured column as it wound its way northwards through a narrow defile in the Apuccini Mountains. They were nearing their goal now, and the troops were fighting off the weariness of six days' forced. march. At the-head of the column, the unit's lieutenant pushed his helmet up and mopped the water from his face.

'I'll be glad when this job's over,' he commented.

'You're not alone there, Renzo,' replied his chief, 'Once we've finished here, 1 think we'll go to Araby. I've heard there's a new prophet sprung up there.' Renzo nodded. 'Just what we need,' he said, 'Lots of sunshine and a nice, simple little holy war. You know where you are with that sort of job - better than all this political messing about. What a business, eh? All because of an apple, a piece of string and three initiate priestesses.'

'And the use to which the Duke of Organza's son and heir was putting said items,' his leader reminded him, 'And the fact that one of the initiate priestesses was none other than the youngest daughter of our noble patron. Anyway, it's all money.'

They turned a sharp bend in the gulley to find their way blocked by a solid wall of pikemen. Suddenly, archers appeared on either side of the sheer gulley sides, and a carefully-prepared landslide blocked the way behind them.

'Form up!' bellowed their leader, 'Hollow square - move!' It was obvious that they had walked into a trap, and one from which they had little chance of walking away. Professionals to the last, the mercenaries readied their weapons and prepared to sell their lives dearly.

'Mordini!' came a shout from the opposing ranks. The mercenary captain squinted through the rain.

'Sardo?' he shouted back, 'I thought we were on the same side! Have you sold Lambrusco out?'

'Not quite.' came the reply. 'Duke Fabriano sold you out. The whole war with Organza is a set-up - your death was one of the alliance conditions. You're too effective for your own good, Mordini - he began to worry about what would happen if you turned against him.' Renzo spat loudly.

'Politics!' he grunted. 'What did I tell you?'

'Mordini!' Sardo continued, 'I don't need to tell you that this is not of my choosing.'

'Understood!' Mordini answered, 'Just don't expect it to be easy. And if you do me tell Duke Fabriano this - he hasn't heard the last of Mordini. Someday, somehow, accounts will be settled for this day!'

Ennio Mordini was one of the most powerful mercenary captains ever to serve among the Tilean City States. For most of his career, he and his men served Duke Fabriano of Lambrusco, expanding that state's fortunes considerably. Their success began to worry their patron, especially since it was not unknown for Tilean mercenary units to seize control of the states which they were supposed to be serving. When the neighbouring state of Organza offered a lucrative alliance on condition that Mordini's troops were disposed of, Fabriano seized the opportunity and sent them into an ambush which none survived. Mordini swore just before he died that he would be avenged on his treacherous employer.

Barely five years later, an army of undead skeletons poured out of the Apuccini Mountains, under the tattered banner of Mordini. Fuelled by their hatred, the dead soldiers cut the armies of Lambrusco to ribbons, and razed the city to the ground. It is said that Duke Fabriano spent seven days and seven nights dying. Now the Doomed Legion has turned against Organza and the other City States, destroy everything in their path as they aver themselves upon the double-dealing princes who connived at their murder.

Equipment - Chain mail, bardiche, guisarme (two-handed weapon), sword.

Battlecry - Lacking important things like lungs and vocal cords the Legion has no battlecry

Deeds - While they were alive, Mordini's mercenaries won a number of great victories against the enemies of Duke Fabriano of Lambrusco. They are most remembered, however, for the assault and destruction of Lambrusco. It is rumoured that Mordini has now re-fortified the city, established a dead court there. It appears, though, that no-one living has be close enough to find out.

Uniforms - The Legion's colours are green and gold. Although they no longer wear anything that could be recognised as a uniform, the colours are sometimes visible on the tattered rags of clothing that occasionally survive.

Shields - A skull, set in a red surround, on a dark green field. Shield rims are gold.

Special Rules - Immune to all psychology tests. Cannot be routed. Cause fear in living creatures. Subject to instability. Subject to stupidity when not controlled by Mordini or Renzo.

It's certainly one of the largest Nightmare Legions out there, as far as I'm aware, (although there is at least one other of about the same size I'm aware of). However, after the torture that was painting them, I've got no interest in turning into a competition to make it the largest! ;)

Now, on to something more fun!