The 333 3rd Ed Challenge- Retinue of Vitolio Bourgeoia

A bit later than planned due to Salute prep, here is the first month's offering for the 333 3rd Ed Challenge ahead of next year's BOYL. This is the warband of the general, Arch Psychopomp Vitolio Bourgeoia. Vitolio is the patriarch of an influential Tilean family and governs the independent city state of Castello Capezzo. Isolated as a self-contained mountainous principality the state has proved fertile soil for the rise of a Slaaneshi cult headed and given respectability by the sponsorship of the governing family. Beastman mercenaries are employed and equipped by the Bourgeoias as a personal guard and Dark Elves have settled in the city, both are treated with absolute normality by its citizens who enjoy peace, prosperity and a doctrine of pleasure.

As a Slaaneshi warband the dominant colour had to be pink, right? I wanted something a bit more vibrant than the RoC pastels though, and also more 'uniform' as an official city state military. Since 'debased pope' was very much the starting point I decided to take the colour scheme from the Swiss Guard, shifting the reds into pinks to align with the cult. Bases aren't quite finished yet, I need to do greenery on them.

The ex-Grenadier dark elves by Mark Copplestone fit perfectly with the 15th Century Italian theme. They are, however, a bit wide in their stance and don't easily fit on a 20mm base so I have had to do a bit of cutting and bending. Theoretically this is a squad of 8 dark elves with crossbows, but there are a couple of the sword-wielding models that don't have crossbows slung from their belts. Most do. You'll also notice there are 9... I fully intend to add a hero to this unit out of remaining points once the core warbands are sorted and thought I may as well paint him now. He's the guy with the mask and cool ruff.

The beastman unit is converted from the regular 4th ed plastics. I felt they looked too regimented for a wild beastman band but give them slashed sleeves and breastplates and they make a perfect mercenary/imperial beastman contingent. I experimented putting a tellerberet on one but it didn't really sit well with their mohawks so didn't take it any further. I went for black rather than the 'official' white for Slaangors as I thought it would make for a bolder unit. If I end up adding subsequent bestman units the heroes will be marked out by white hair.  

The corrupt pontiff himself is a Foundry Swashbuckler Dwarf on a Foundry Darkest Africa donkey. I resculpted his nose, added a mitre and gave him legs. I also reposed the donkey's legs a bit to make it look like he was splayed under the weight of his burden.

On to month 2! I'll be rolling up November's warband from Realm of Chaos on my YouTube channel so do take a look. :)