Chaos is a fickle mistress, however. Some who follow the dark powers are blessed with great strength and unimaginable power. Others are cursed with debilitating mutations and eventually devolve into mindless, gibbering Chaos Spawn. Chaos is a constant threat to the civilized lands of Men, Elves, and Dwarfs, and constant vigilance is required to battle the frequent incursions of the forces of Chaos.

Some of the followers of Chaos dedicate their worship to one of the particular Dark Gods: Khorne, the Blood God and the Lord of Skulls; Tzeentch, the Changer of the Ways and the God of magic; Nurgle, Lord of Decay and Pestilence; and Slaanesh, the Dark Prince and God of decadence and pleasure. Other Chaos worshipers follow Chaos Undivided and don't devote themselves to any one particular deity. Each Chaos power bestows a particular type of gift upon its chosen followers; thus, Chaos are highly adaptable and can be customised in many different ways.

Archaon, Lord of the End Times, leads the minions of the Chaos Gods against the mortals of the Old World.

The Hordes of Chaos army is really two armies in one. If the army is led by a mortal General, then mortal troops are Core selections, and Daemonic troops are Special choices. Similarly, in armies led by a Daemonic General, Daemons are Core, and Mortals are Special. The General's affiliation to one of the Chaos Gods or Chaos Undivided also functions to determine which types of troops can be included in the army. Further variety can be added to Hordes of Chaos army by incorporating troops from the Beasts of Chaos army list, which is fully compatible with the Hordes of Chaos rules.

The Hordes of Chaos army contains a wide variety of troop types. Mortal units include the mighty Warriors of Chaos as both infantry and cavalry, the rank-and-file Chaos Marauder infantry and cavalry, Chariots of Chaos, and Warhounds of Chaos. Daemon units are as varied as the Gods they serve. Followers of Khorne can include Bloodletters and Flesh Hounds. Nurgle's children include Plaguebearers and swarms of Nurglings. Slaaneshi armies often field Daemonette infantry and cavalry. The armies of the inscrutable Tzeentch can include the flying sky sharks known as Screamers as well as the spell-casting Daemons known as Horrors. Any Chaos army can also include the high-flying Furies and mindless Spawn of Chaos to bolster its ranks.

Because of the mutating nature of Chaos, the Hordes army is a converter's dream. Most regiment boxed sets include a variety of mutated arms, heads, and other accessories, so that you can represent the “gifts” of the Gods on the battlefield. More elaborate conversions like tentacled Warriors, rotting Marauders, and scratch-built Chaos Spawn are also possible. Few self-respecting Chaos Generals take to the field of battle without at least a couple of soldiers who have been touched by the warping power of Chaos.

Because of the relatively high points cost for Chaos models, Hordes of Chaos armies tend to be small. However, they pack an enormous punch in hand-to-hand combat, and few troops can stand up to a Chaos Warrior in melee. Though the army is a powerful one and much feared throughout the Old World, it has no troops armed with missile weapons. Thus, it is possible to weaken a Chaos army by thinning its numbers before it gets into close combat. However, opponents of Chaos should be advised – losing to the Hordes of Chaos can often mean losing your mortal soul.

Related Articles:
Getting Started With Hordes of Chaos | Hordes of Chaos Miniatures Range

Online Store:
Hordes of Chaos