Raiders of Éireann

For the playtesting of Raiders of Éireann I’ve created three warband lists: one for each of the factions.

The first warband is for the Milesians:

• 1 Hero
• 7 Fanatics
• 3 Veterans
• 2 Salmon Warriors

The Milesians’ playstyle is intended to focus on overwhelming the enemy with numbers, supported by specialists. Fanatics are the cheapest warriors in the game. The Salmon Warriors are about as strong, but, thanks to their Salmon Leap ability, are able to jump over obstacles and get close with their deadly Death Spears. The Veterans are an armoured version of the Fanatics with Javelins. Since they are in the Medium Phase they have more time to weigh their options and make better choices.

They are all mere mortals, but can still pack a punch!

The Milesian warband is the embodiment of human fury, ready to wrest control of the Emerald Isle from the clutches of the immortal beings that now inhabit.

The minis for Fanatics are the Celtic Warriors from Warlord Games. I tried to paint these as fast as possible, although I did take the time to try my hand at some tattoos.

Since I dipped these, I had to paint them all a bit lighter. I’m glad that this worked out alright, since they were so brightly coloured that I got worried…

The mini for the Milesian Hero is from the Red Book of the Elf King range. I simply love this model and think that it didn’t turn out too bad. Whereas I dipped all of the other Milesian minis, this guy was basecoated with a black/white zenith and then just painted with regular old acrylics.

The minis for the Salmon Warriors are Shieldmaidens from Bad Squiddo Games. In Raiders of Éireannlore they weild barbed spears, but I used these because they are quite different from the Fanatic minis and I had them lying around. Also, the Salmon Warriors being women is a nod towards Scáthach, the female warrior that taught Cú Chullain to weild the Gáe Bulg; a barbed spear known for ripping its foes to shreds. The colours are inspired by the mighty salmon. I tried to draw a fish on the shields and I guess it looks alright as long as you don’t look too close. In fact: stand far away.

The Veterans are also from the Celtic Warrior box from Warlord Games. They look a bit like lumberjacks, if you ask me, but I’m happy with them. The tiny bird on the right guy’s helmet keeps breaking off by the way…

Again, if you want to see what Raiders of Éireann is all about and/or you’d like to play it:

• Download the Beta test Rules (v 0.10) here.
• Go to http://pwg.arlinus.com/ to visit the accompanying web app (best viewed on handheld device!).
• A walkthrough of the app is provided here.
• If you do decide to play a game, please consider filling out this feedback form afterwards