Death Korps of Krieg, Lord Marshal Dreir.

 

TRANSCRIBED VOX-LOG

SOURCE: Krieg Line Officer, Trench Delta-Seven

STATUS: Deceased (Confirmed)

RECOVERY: Post-Action Sweep, +3 Days

DATA INTEGRITY: Partial / Acceptable

-----

I am recording this in accordance with regulation.

At 04:16 siege-time, Lord Marshal Dreir advanced past our position at the head of the Death Riders. 

He did not slow. This was efficient. 

The mount ES819 showed structural damage but remained combat-capable. 

The Sabre of Sacrifice was visible and unblemished at that time.

We maintained fire as ordered. One rider was killed by overshoot from our right flank battery. No correction was issued. Ammunition expenditure took precedence.

Enemy resistance increased at 04:18. 

Volume of fire exceeded prior engagements but lacked coordination. Two cavalry elements were lost before contact. Their absence did not alter the advance.

The collision occurred at approximately 04:22. Enemy morale collapsed immediately upon impact. Cultist personnel were neutralised by sabre strikes, trampling, and compression against urban debris. The sounds were consistent with prior close-assault actions.

Lord Dreir did not vocalise commands. He did not hesitate. The Sabre of Sacrifice functioned as intended. I observed the blade destroy several enemy fighters.

At 04:30, the avenue was cleared. Fires continued. The dead obstructed movement and were used as cover by advancing infantry.

Lord Dreir halted at the far terminus of the avenue and turned to face the approach. He remained stationary, I estimate forty to fifty seconds. This observation has no tactical relevance.

We were ordered forward to entrench at 04:44. Shovels were distributed. Where ground was insufficient, bodies were utilised. Enemy and Krieg remains were of equal utility.

I was assigned to the third digging rotation.

-----

ARCHIVAL NOTE:

The officer’s body was recovered in Trench Delta-Seven with entrenching tool in hand. Cause of death: secondary bombardment. The position was lost again two days later.

NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED

*****

Just like that we're a week into 2026, and also just like that the first mini of 2026 is finished!

Granted this mini has been part painted since about November, but with a quiet night, I decided to buckle down and get him finished.

Lord Marshal Drier is the named character for the Death Korps of Krieg, a mounted cavalry commander and the regiments equivalent of Lord Solar Leontus*.

Here is the finished mini:

For the greatcoat and armour, etc, I followed my regular DKoK scheme, with Vallejo French Mirage Blue making up the blue-grey colouring of the greatcoat.

He has a lot more colour on him then the regular Death Korps, simply because he is a senior officer, so I went with a nice rich burgundy-purple-pink to contrast well with the drab blue-grey of the main army.

Stupid and unrealistic I know, but this is 40k...

The gas mask for both horse and rider was started with the usual Khaki, but I went different on this one and washed it with Seraphim Sepia, it adds a weathered appearance to me and makes him look more like a veteran**

ES819, the mount, started as Ironrach Skin.

I then used the washes Seraphim Sepia, Ireland Flesh shade and Druchii Violet to shade the mount.

Sepia at the top, Felshshade in the center and Violet below the knees.

I worked fast getting these onto the model, and then used a damp brush to wet blend the colours into each other, the first time I have ever tried to use this technique.

His base got the usual urban theming for Frasers army, and a few broken pipes, when I get another box of skulls, I'll paint a few and go back and add one or two to his base to really fit into 40k***

I Know Drier was in my "Bonus Projects" list for the year, but he was part finished, it was late at night when I managed to sit down to paint**** and he was the first thing on the top of the workbench I picked up.

Doesn't matter, he's finished and another model for Frasers army down.

Until next time, Have nice day...

*I think, I don't play 10th edition 40k.

**I tried this on the infantry I've been working through, but with different shades of highlights and different brown's/Khaki's as basecoats for equipment, it's subtle but i think it shows the different ages of gear on the regiment, as some are newer than others for replacement troopers.

***SKULLS! SKULLS EVERYWHERE! 

****I'm back at work full time now, so whilst hobby time is available, I've got to get back into the swing of sectioning out time for myself around other things at home.

400th post, and 2026 (hopeful) plans.

 

The year turns softly, like a page half-read,

Old doubts grow quiet, loosening their hold.

We carry echoes of the words we said,

But set our gaze on mornings edged in gold.

The clock breathes out, releases what has been,

Its chime a promise more than something old.

Ahead, unmarked, the days wait, clear and clean,

With room for courage, gentler, bright, and bold.

We step together where the future starts,

And find new light still warming patient hearts.

*****

It's 2026, a new year, and hopefully a better year all around for everyone.

Last year, 2025, started hopefully, then slowly dissolved into a long drawn out mess with work and family health issues* taking up time from May onwards.

With the start of a New Year, it's often the point where people say about "New Year, New Me/Army/Project" and then talk about their future plans for the year, etc etc.

I'm aiming for a few small "achievable " things for this year, keeping things simple:

I have Three personal goals for the year:

Goal 1:

To make time to visit Element Games Stockport more often and socialise with my friend group there, and by extension play more games of stuff. 

Just really play more games. 

To that end I am thinking of picking up Talisman next time I go over there, so I can throw that down without too much set up and we can rip through a game.

They are getting into Bloodbowl, which has never grabbed me, but I can get Lion/Dragon Rampant going easily enough, and we've all been bitten by The Old World bug recently...

Speaking of The Old World...

Goal 2:

So, mid December when I visited, we played The Old World, and I have a 1,500 point Warrior of Chaos army built for the same on square bases!

This is only a small section of it, but i have more Chaos Warriors in the wings.

The second goal for the year is to get this all painted up to my tabletop standard, and get it working well on the battlefield.

This is a top project because it's a game which I KNOW I will be able to get games of, whenever I go to Element.

Goal 3:

The third goal, is my Samurai project.

I've faced the fact that the way things are going time wise I won't be able to get the Hail Caesar project off the ground, so I've made the decision to downsize to my favourite rules, Lion Rampant, and drop into Dragon Rampant if I want to field the more mystical Japanese bits I can 3D Print.

Above in the picture is a full size force for Lion Rampant, I just need to print off a suitable Commander figure.

I already have enough troops to put together an opposing force, and all my Sohei can easily be dropped into the game as well.

I would like to get somewhere with this as its a project that's been on and off again for the better part of two years now, and I've an itch to get some gaming in with them.

Bonus Goals:

So the last few things are just projects which have been on the workbench for a while which I would like to see finished.

The first of which is another Platoon and autocannon squad for Frasers Death Korps of Krieg army:

The second is the bits I have collected for my Black Legion army for "Project Eye of Terror", these are an 'if i got the other stuff done' project:

Lastly, a bunch of various characters, Lord Marshal Drier is for Frasers army, the Custodian, Education, Tzeentchian Sorceror and Arbite are all part started which need to be finished, and the orange mini is an oriental type character who could be dropped into the Samurai Dragon Rampant fantasy stuff:

I think these goals are reasonable and more to the point practically achievable** given i don't know what is going to happen time wise this year.

Let's have a good 2026, and I'll post soon.

Until next time, have nice day....

*without too much detail, things aren't back where they were family wise. Personally I hopefully, seem to have fought off most of the Black Dog's influence which dragged me through November and December.

**I could have run through a list of stuff I want to start and would be new projects:

The Red Book of the Elf King and Troll Wars by Lucid Eye.

A 3D printed Leonin force for Dragon Rampant.

Horus Heresy forces.

Crusader and Muslim forces for Lion Rampant.

Warmachine Cygnar, Khador, Llael and Trollblood forces.

Most of this stuff I already have, but no point piling on projects, instead of finishing ones in motion.