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[Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl]

A worthy ambition but a tall order. The name Zharrdron doesn't bother me in the slightest, it serves as a useful distinction between Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Proper (WHFB 8th edition, undefeated & undisputed).




More Chaos Dwarfs is never a bad thing. Model-wise it's a mixed bag. Some really great stuff, some okay stuff and some stuff that doesn't quite fit my fancy. I'm in no way tempted to trade my Forge World Legion of Azgorh Chaos Dwarfs for them.

I really want to see what they will look like with a different paint job. Technically the paint job is great (far better than what I could ever hope to achieve) but it is a little bit to "clean" and bright for my liking. As such, some of the models that I might regard as so-so, could very well turn out quite nice with a more evil paint scheme.

One thing I really can't stand are the beardless Chaos Dwarfs mixed throughout. Maybe they are supposed to be female Chaos Dwarfs? I'm not really sold on the effect. If they wanted to go down that route, they should have leaned into the aesthetic a little further. At the moment they just look like beardless Chaos Dwarfs, and that seems like heresy to me.

I also thought they were weird-looking beardless Chaos Dwarfs to begin with, which indeed sounded a heretical idea... then I noticed the Warhammer Underworlds Warband with a couple in and they were given female names, so yes, they are indeed female Dawi-Zharr. I think the best way to remember that is that they tend to have smaller noses and teeth and plumper cheeks than their male counterparts, who have longer, crooked noses, their tusk teeth and their more chiselled faces (plus their beards of course).

Doesn't make them look much better of course, but to be fair, with males that are on the fearsome side, their females weren't exactly going to be pretty, were they?

Is this the first arcane journal for the TK? (evidently I don't pay much attention to TOW outside of model releases)

Nope, Tomb Kings were one of the first to get their Journal alongside Bretonnia back at the beginning of last year. This new one is a Tomb King-themed campaign book with a few more extra rules in for the army.

 

[Just A Skink]

Aside from that, cool and all. But does AoS really need more factions?

I can see that, as have others. Personally, I think the green glows and green flames tend to look more like Skaven.

 

[ChapterAquila92]

Is this the first arcane journal for the TK? (evidently I don't pay much attention to TOW outside of model releases)

Second, last I recall. They along with the funny horse people were the first two factions to get their arcane journals.

 

[Canas]

I can see that, as have others. Personally, I think the green glows and green flames tend to look more like Skaven.

Skaven magic has a similar light green colour as it glows in a similar manner. And there's some undead paintjobs that use the same colours for their magic as well.

But skaven technology tends to be a bit darker green since those are mostly the warpstone crystal bits. The darker colour makes their technology look a bit more primitive cuz it doesn't glow as much as the futuristic Necron or Chaos dwarf weapons, which have a much lighter "glowing" green on their weapons.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

does AoS really need more factions?

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I also thought they were weird-looking beardless Chaos Dwarfs to begin with, which indeed sounded a heretical idea... then I noticed the Warhammer Underworlds Warband with a couple in and they were given female names, so yes, they are indeed female Dawi-Zharr. I think the best way to remember that is that they tend to have smaller noses and teeth and plumper cheeks than their male counterparts, who have longer, crooked noses, their tusk teeth and their more chiselled faces (plus their beards of course).

Doesn't make them look much better of course, but to be fair, with males that are on the fearsome side, their females weren't exactly going to be pretty, were they?

Were they really needed? If you're going to make female Chaos Dwarfs, make them look female. They don't have to be pretty, but we shouldn't have to be piecing clue together based on their names to figure out what they are (not to diminish the good detective work on your part). It just doesn't feel like something that was spawned organically for the purposes of creativity but rather a lame checkbox on some "representation" initiative. Is this the case with all AoS factions now?

Nope, Tomb Kings were one of the first to get their Journal alongside Bretonnia back at the beginning of last year. This new one is a Tomb King-themed campaign book with a few more extra rules in for the army.

I thought so, but I started second guessing myself. Does this mean that this is another "essential" book required to field the Tomb Kings in TOW? The campaign rules seem rather optional, but additional unit rules appear to be sort of important.

 

[J.Logan]

It just doesn't feel like something that was spawned organically for the purposes of creativity but rather a lame checkbox on some "representation" initiative. Is this the case with all AoS factions now?

I think, right now at any rate, the glorious scaly kin do not have gratuitous representation in their model range... Though the background detail of at least one skink going around using female pronouns does exist. So, maybe we do have female representation in our model range. And they look identical to the male range, so it makes absolutely no difference if they are or not.

I thought so, but I started second guessing myself. Does this mean that this is another "essential" book required to field the Tomb Kings in TOW? The campaign rules seem rather optional, but additional unit rules appear to be sort of important.

*Ponder Pose Activate*

Considering GeeDubs are trying to get people to use their app (and I freely acknowledge I have no idea if they have Old World on their app), then probably not ESSENTIAL essential... Part of me is wondering if this new AJ will be a straight "replacement" and include the rules for the models that we already have, just excluding the Armies of Infamy that were in the first one.

I speak from knowing that the Spearhead rulebook Sand and Bone has all the core rules that were included in Jade and Fire, making it a straight replacement, unless you want to use the older spearheads.

Core units are "core rules" so to speak, so same thing? Maybe? I dunno, I'm waffling on...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Though the background detail of at least one skink going around using female pronouns does exist.

You're just joking right?... right?

And they look identical to the male range, so it makes absolutely no difference if they are or not.

I always assumed that the Lizards were genderless and that their spawning pools were magical in nature. Then again, I'm hardly Mr. Lore Guy.

 

[J.Logan]

You're just joking right?... right?

Direct quote from Soulbound: Stars and Scales:

The Starpriest Yateyaqu manages the hatcheries and
world chambers where handlers train the constellation’s
beasts. Having having lived in the Mortal Realms for some
time, Yateyaqu has different pronouns than most other
Seraphon. Whether this is due to her own feelings and
beliefs or how she is perceived by her mammalian allies, it
changes little about how mortals and other Seraphon view
her. Plaque and stylus in hand, she notes each animal’s
star-scribed fate before they even hatch, and when she
travels to defend Sigmar’s cities, her strategic counsel has
prescient insight. The free peoples think her emotionless
compared to her charges, but to her fellow Skinks, her time
below has changed her. Yateyaqu works closely with the
Terradon-riding Skink Chief Asu’Azi, the constellation’s
foremost outrider, though while Yateyaqu at least strives
for the impartiality demanded by Lord Ximoyuxe, Asu’Azi
makes no secret that he feels his steeds deserve loyalty.

I'd say that being from an RPG spinoff would make the canon of that questionable, but GeeDubs have a history of using the RPG's as natural expansions of the fluff.

I always assumed that the Lizards were genderless and that their spawning pools were magical in nature. Then again, I'm hardly Mr. Lore Guy.

It's fine, they are. The impression I get it's its just a personal choice what they decide to go by. I was joking that, with that logic, there is no reason for anybody to not be able to say one lizardman model is a female or not.

I imagine that in their own language, they don't actually have separate pronouns for genders because of their lack. It's purely a warmblood quirk that they shrug and roll with on occasion.

 

[WildColonial Boy]

Chaos Dwarfs?
I think not!
As a long term Dawi Zharr officianado from the 80's I was hoping for something even half decent. Its so hard to get anything CD I'm willing to accept anything, however.....
What a bloody disappointment!!! Poor excuses for beards. Tiny fangs. Where are the big hats? Bull centaurs look awful. And did Picasso design the great Taurus? Very cubist and almost blasphemous. And what the hell are those blunderbusses? Are they 40K or Necromunda?
Even though for AOS I would have purchased some to expand my army and use them for TOW, but my money is safe.
Whoever is doing the designing for GW has absolutely no idea!

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Direct quote from Soulbound: Stars and Scales:


I'd say that being from an RPG spinoff would make the canon of that questionable, but GeeDubs have a history of using the RPG's as natural expansions of the fluff.

I'm so glad GW can't do this to my beloved 8th edition WHFB. While I didn't realize it at the time, the End Times came about just at the right time.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Where are the big hats?

He has a big hat...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

What is up with these? Talk about some really butt-ugly models. I'm usually quite fond of Warhammer Underworlds warband models, but this one's gotta be a no from me dawg.

 

[ChapterAquila92]

What is up with these? Talk about some really butt-ugly models. I'm usually quite fond of Warhammer Underworlds warband models, but this one's gotta be a no from me dawg.

What poor unfortunate souls they must be to put up with the taskmaster in the middle.

 

[Killer Angel]

More Chaos Dwarfs is never a bad thing. Model-wise it's a mixed bag. Some really great stuff, some okay stuff and some stuff that doesn't quite fit my fancy. I'm in no way tempted to trade my Forge World Legion of Azgorh Chaos Dwarfs for them.

Absolutely yes, Forge World remains the undisputed leader if you look at CD

I think my favourite piece is this guy:

mine too! great model

 

[Killer Angel]

What is up with these? Talk about some really butt-ugly models. I'm usually quite fond of Warhammer Underworlds warband models, but this one's gotta be a no from me dawg.

what a horrible bunch of models...

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Absolutely yes, Forge World remains the undisputed leader if you look at CD

The Blood Bowl team is pretty awesome, but the Forge World range reigns supreme. The only thing I like as much as the Forge World range are the three Chaos Dwarf Hellcannon handlers. Impressively, they are old models, 6th edition I believe. The Hellcannon was my first foray into the world of the Chaos Dwarfs. It all started there.

what a horrible bunch of models...

Truly terrible... and surprisingly so. It wasn't all that long ago that GW released the CD Blood Bowl line, which are great, so they really should have done better with these guys.

 

[Canas]

Were they really needed? If you're going to make female Chaos Dwarfs, make them look female. They don't have to be pretty, but we shouldn't have to be piecing clue together based on their names to figure out what they are (not to diminish the good detective work on your part). It just doesn't feel like something that was spawned organically for the purposes of creativity but rather a lame checkbox on some "representation" initiative. Is this the case with all AoS factions now?

I mean, it's a fantasy race. The gender distinction can be whatever the author says it is.
Aside from that, they all wear big bulky armour & they;re all short and squat. The beard is really the only thing that can even be used for something like this, since other details are just not really going to be visible.

And yeah, most races now seems to get a mix of such models, which is fine in itself, but occasionally the distinction just looks silly and is rather superficial. Especially when it's a heavily armoured faction like the chaos dwarfs, as that limits what details you can actually put in.

I think, right now at any rate, the glorious scaly kin do not have gratuitous representation in their model range... Though the background detail of at least one skink going around using female pronouns does exist. So, maybe we do have female representation in our model range. And they look identical to the male range, so it makes absolutely no difference if they are or not.

Direct quote from Soulbound: Stars and Scales:
It's fine, they are. The impression I get it's its just a personal choice what they decide to go by. I was joking that, with that logic, there is no reason for anybody to not be able to say one lizardman model is a female or not.

I imagine that in their own language, they don't actually have separate pronouns for genders because of their lack. It's purely a warmblood quirk that they shrug and roll with on occasion.

Aren't there multiple bits of fluff at some point where GW said that skink diplomats send to the various Order races choose a gender simply to make diplomacy easier? Similar to how they adopt other quirks to fit in with the target race. And that some quirks they originally adopted for the sake of diplomacy would eventually stick if they served for long enough.

More broadly speaking they start as a blank slate, but eventually develop a personality based on who they interact with.

What is up with these? Talk about some really butt-ugly models. I'm usually quite fond of Warhammer Underworlds warband models, but this one's gotta be a no from me dawg.

They definitly aren't pretty, but it is consistent with how the chaos dwarfs have been shown throughout AoS so far.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I mean, it's a fantasy race. The gender distinction can be whatever the author says it is.

Aside from that, they all wear big bulky armour & they;re all short and squat. The beard is really the only thing that can even be used for something like this, since other details are just not really going to be visible.

And therein lies the problem. They don't have sufficient aesthetic elements at their disposal to land the effect. Consequently, the end result is that the models do not effectively convey that these are female Chaos Dwarf models. They could just as easily be male Chaos Dwarf models without beards or as some have suggested, strange looking orc like models. They are ambiguous and end up looking a bit off.

Chaos Dwarfs have a few signature aesthetic features, and chief among them are their beards. Removing that visual marker is risky. If they really wanted female Chaos Dwarfs they should have provided the models with additional features to really drive home the effect.

That said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If enough people like the models, then good on them. Personally though, I think the female models sort of miss the mark. They look more like blasphemous male beardless Chaos Dwarfs, which is akin to heresy.

And yeah, most races now seems to get a mix of such models, which is fine in itself, but occasionally the distinction just looks silly and is rather superficial. Especially when it's a heavily armoured faction like the chaos dwarfs, as that limits what details you can actually put in.

Which is why it should be considered on a case by case basis rather than blindly across the board. Go with what works visually. It's okay to have mixed gendered units, but it is equally okay to have all male units or all female units. Sometimes one makes more sense than the other.

They definitly aren't pretty, but it is consistent with how the chaos dwarfs have been shown throughout AoS so far.

I think the mainline AoS ones are better. These are the worst of the bunch.

 

[J.Logan]

Chaos Dwarfs have a few signature aesthetic features, and chief among them are their beards

Implying that regular dwarfs aren't well known for their thick and lustrous facial fuzz to the point that a beardless dwarf is just a cursed image, no matter the setting. The only exception being a certain savant from Dragon Age. "Enchantments? ENCHANTMENTS!"

They look more like blasphemous male beardless Chaos Dwarfs, which is akin to heresy.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Chaos Dwarf version of a slayer (can't remember the name off the top of my head, just that they are disgraced and put into a separate class... Infernal Guard maybe?), besides wearing even MOAR armour rather than the Slayer's preference for stripping, don't they have their beards shorn off to reflect their shame... before then having their heads sealed in a face concealing helmet so that none have to see their shameful faces...

Back on the subject of the ranged weapons... that is definitely one of the areas that annoys me across AoS. WFB/TOW have weapon designs that are very "what if real world, but fantasy". But in AoS, they really tried too hard to get away from that. The Cities of Sigmar represent the worst of that in my eyes. What is wrong with a proper musket line? Why are we replacing muskets/arquebuses with stumpy cannons on the ends of sticks? So they can be used with pavises? SO CAN AN ARQUEBUS!

About the only thing I can say in favour of the fusiliers is that I can shout "this is my boom stick" because god damn, it is a literal stick that goes boom!

And now Zhaardron (by the way, am I the only one who keeps mispronouncing that as Zordon? Just me? Fine...) have apparently decided to hung up brutal blunderbusses for... magi-diesel-punk plasma rifle nonsense...