Varanguard Knights

Varanguard

The ground trembles under the thundering hooves of the Varanguard, their twisted steeds bearing them into battle as the warriors roar the name of the Everchosen. These "Knights of Doom" are Archaon's wrath unleashed upon the Mortal Realms, and blood drenches the ground beneath their advance.

Under the relentless gaze of the Dark Gods, only the fittest survive, and few deserve their favor more than the Varanguard. Warlords in their own right, they have grown ferocious and powerful over lifetimes of carnage and Conquest. It is fitting that Archaon chooses these powerful Champions of Chaos. They are his will, they are his power, and they are a Scourge of the rich.

Each Varanguard is a veteran of countless campaigns, with the blood of vanquished empires dripping from their blade. Each of them is a warrior of legend, having risen above the piled corpses of their rivals through the ranks of the armies of Chaos.

Mortal lords and kings, demon princes and great demons—all would do well to respect Varanguard authority. Even the most powerful emissaries of the Dark Gods have no influence over them, for when the Knights of Ruin ride into battle it is at the sole behest of the Everchosen. When a warrior joins the Varangarde, they swear allegiance to everyone but Archaon, and none are foolish enough to undermine their authority.

The warriors of the Varanguard are divided into the Eight Circles, each a countless host that rides at the head of Archaon's endless hordes, leaving only devastation in their wake. The Everchosen's dark moods and destructive intentions are reflected in the various circles and the way he uses them to achieve his goal of total domination. The massive undertaking to conquer the Mortal Realms means Archaon must rely on his Varangarde to win wide-ranging campaigns and master tortuous endeavors in his name. This grand strategy of violence and subterfuge, destruction and dominance pushed by the Three-Eyed King can only lead to ultimate victory if all the pieces fit together. To this end, the varied strengths and talents of the Eight Circles are used in all conquests that Archaon's plans require. Constant change, however, is the favor of the Everchosen, and no circle long prevails in his eyes. This is the impermanent nature of chaos.

During the Nexus Wars, the Varanguard were the first Everchosen warriors to set foot in the allpoints, carving a bloody path through stubborn defenders as the first gates fell. During the brutal slaughter that ensued, the Varangarde knights sliced ??through defenders and attackers alike to bring down the eight Lords of the Allpoints. Finally, when the noise of battle died away, the Varangarde presented Archaon with the severed heads of the lords.

Such is the Varanguard's fierce reputation that even Chaos Lords - be they hulking brutes seething with Khorne's red fury or wily Wizards gifted with the arcane power of Tzeentch - know better than to tread the path the knight to stray. Challenging a varanguard's authority is bringing about a swift and brutal death.

Often, however, simply avoiding the Varanguards to avoid their blades is not enough, especially when they come as messengers of the Everchosen. On the brink of destroying the Weeping Keep, a hundred of the chosen knights rode into the encampment of chaos surrounding the besieged fortress to convey Archaon's displeasure to the besiegers. For a year, the vast Chaos army of the Gorefaith Path had smashed against the walls of The Keep, each of their twisted commanders squabbling over who would be the one to claim the glory of their defeat. Tired of the delay in destroying the fortress, Archaon set out to make an example of those who displeased their master. When the Everchosen himself rode into camp at dawn the following day, the Host of Chaos had been made a warrior. Their shattered bodies were piled into a tangled ramp that Archaon and the Havoc Blades charged down before causing the fall of the Weeping Keep.

The kit comes as 111 components in total, and is supplied with three Citadel 75mm x 42mm Oval Bases.