Expansion to 5024 Escape from the Dark Czar
For my tenth Flintloque article it's been good to loop back to where I started with the expansion to the 5024 Escape from the Dark Czar beginners box set.
My Ferach force has grown around the four Ferach figures in the set. Saindoux is still my overall force commander, Boell Umfrage is his bodyguard, Ayers is the standardbearer in my Ferach Elf line infantry unit and Hulmutt Jucken is part of my Finklestein Dogmen line infantry unit.
On the other hand Captain Preservovitch and the other five savant zombies in his unit had remained separate from the other units in the Dark Czar's force. Additional Undead and werewolf units have joined the pursuit but the savant zombies have remained as a unit on their own mainly because they look very distinctive in their decorative heavy cavalry uniforms.
It was therefore very good to hear that Alternative Armies would be releasing an expansion to this unit with command figures on foot and mounted figures too! I just had to have them!
What figures are available
Saindouxs 4 survivors can now be bought on their own as pack 5024A. They are just great figures and as with me they make a good starting point for a Ferach force.
There is pack 5024B Preserovitchs Colour Party which are three new foot figures in metal, consisting of a standard bearer, a drummer and a sergeant. These are very dynamic poses and perfect to join Captain Preseverovitch as command figures to a foot unit.
Pack 5024C is Preserovitchs Infantry which is the Zombies poses from the beginners box. There is the option to buy trooper figures individually to let you build up a bigger unit if you want to go to twenty four for a Slaughterloo line zombie unit. If you are starting out or want a full unit in one code then 5024E is for you this consists of the Colour Party, the officer and eight mixed random savant zombie poses from the 5024 set.
Then there is the impressive pack 5024D Preserovitchs Cuirassiers, which are mounted versions of Preserovitchs unit. There are five heavy cavalry poses consisting of an officer with a sword (that could be used as a mounted version of Preserovitch himself), a standard bearer, a drummer and two trooper poses with carbine, one of which is firing while other holds his gun aloft. They are metal figures and are mounted on the excellent new resin heavy cavalry horse which has floor length cloth barding and looks very imposing. Single figures can also be purchased from this pack to let you decide on the size of your unit. Pack 5024E which allows you to buy the new resin heavy cavalry horse separately, with an alternative version 5024E1 which includes the big kettle drums that come with the drummer figure and which attach to the sides of the horse.
Along with the metal command figures I purchased another 15 trooper figures on foot to give me an overall unit of 24 infantry. I also bought a unit of 10 cavalry figures. All the new figures are lovely sculpts and look like the elite units that they are. Both infantry and cavalry will stand out on the tabletop.
Painting the figures
Due to having the six figures from the starter set I had already decided to retain the same colour scheme as the green, red and gold works well. The only difference on the sculpts is that the new figures have their greatcoats rolled rather than wearing them but otherwise their uniforms are the same.
Therefore the only change to my painting scheme was with the rolled greatcoats and I painted them red. This made them stand out against the green jackets and my reasoning was that this is the lining showing. I thought that a green rolled greatcoat over a green jacket just would not stand out and I wanted to do the detail justice on these lovely figures.
The continuing narrative
Although Captain Preseverovitch and his men have always been part of the pursuit of Saindoux's force they have now received reinforcements. Some of these are other survivors of his initial unit that have finally caught up but the rest are newly raised, lets face it there are lots of bodies around! They also have some heavy cavalry horses to increase the speed and hitting power of their unit.
Still smarting from the fact that Saindoux escaped him and having been replaced in command by Vampyres due to his perceived failure, Preseverovitch is determined that he will have his revenge. He is not just a zombie..........................
Using these figures in my games
The mounted figures are clearly heavy cavalry and I've used them as this in my Flintloque games. They look very imposing too. To match the figures I've armed them with swords and carbines on my section roster which gives more tactical options although shooting isn't the best skill for a savant zombie! Having a ten figure unit it is also perfect to use in Slaughterloo when I get there as this is a full size heavy cavalry count.
With the twenty four foot figures I have more than enough to use as dismounted cavalry if they lose their mounts in the game but they can also be used as infantry in their own right as they are in the 5024 set. Being savant zombies they are useful as they aren't restricted by having to stay close to a Liche. As they look elite I have used them as Guard Infantry too as set out in the 5027 Grapeshotte book which gives them an additional edge. In Slaughterloo they will be used as superior zombie infantry and a unit of 24 is a good size.
It is also fun to use the Cuirass special rule which negates the first wound each figure suffers in the game automatically as their steel cuirass takes the brunt of the hit! See the free scenarios for more on this at the Begin in Flintloque page.
What's next
As I now have some zombie heavy cavalry, I would like some mortal heavy cavalry for my Ferach force. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thank you for reading.
Andy
