The essence of this project is to show how the Broken Warhost of Byland comes together, step by step. Primarily using a variety of plastic miniatures from Wargames Atlantic.
In Part Three, we showed the first painted riders, including the leader of the Warhost and the mounted banner bearer. Now, the attention moves from the mounted warriors to the foot groups that give the force its character.
Steve Beckett has now painted the farmers with slings, the Reckoner’s bodyguard, and a single Byland standard bearer on foot.
This brief but crucial update shows us why these ordinary troops matter to the Warhost's story.
Here, the Warhost shifts toward its real identity: a fractured kingdom rallying what's left.
Farmers with Slings
The farmers with slings are exactly the sort of group I wanted in the Broken Warhost.
They are not elite warriors. They are not professional soldiers. They are ordinary Bylanders who have been pulled into the fighting because there is no one else left to stand between what is left of their lives and the Orcs.
In a skirmish game, these sorts of warriors bring a lot of life to a force. They tell you something about the land they come from. Byland is a frontier kingdom, and it makes sense that farmers, herdsmen, and shepherds would know how to use a sling. It is a simple weapon, but in the right hands, it can still be dangerous.
Steve has painted them with a practical, everyday feel. They look like people who have grabbed what they can and joined the Warhost because the fight has come to them.
They are not glamorous, but they belong here. Which is why they work so well.
The Reckoner’s Bodyguard
The Reckoner’s bodyguard gives the force a very different feel.
Where the farmers with slings show the desperate, local side of Byland, these warriors represent something harder and more formal. They are not simply another group of fighters. They are there to protect the Reckoner and what he represents.
The Reckoner stands for law, record and judgement in a land where all three are close to collapse. His bodyguard need to look like warriors chosen for that role, and Steve has captured them well.
They are better equipped and more controlled than many of the other foot groups in the Warhost. The two-handed weapons give them a clear battlefield presence, and the shields will help mark them out even more once the Byland heraldry is fully tied across the force.
The Broken Warhost should not all look the same. It should feel patched together but still have points of order within its ranks. The Reckoner’s bodyguard does that job well. I like the contrast they bring.
The Foot Standard Bearer
The foot standard bearer may be a single model, but he carries a lot of weight in the force.
The old banners of Byland have been a key part of this project from the start. They are not just there to make the force look good, although they certainly help with that. They are rallying points for the survivors.
For the mounted riders, we already have one of the old Byland banners bearing the white gate, the first symbol of the kingdom. This foot standard bearer now brings that same idea to the infantry.
He gives the Broken Fyrd and the foot groups something to gather around.
It is important for the story of the force, and it will help visually on the tabletop. A single banner can unite a group and give the entire Warhost a stronger identity.
Byland may be broken, but its banners are still being carried.
A Larger Warhost
What I like about this stage is that the Warhost is starting to show more of Byland.
The riders gave the Warhost speed and bite, while these new painted groups evoke a kingdom in ruins rather than just a mounted force.
The farmers with slings highlight Byland's ordinary defenders. The Reckoner’s bodyguard preserves authority. The foot standard bearer keeps the old symbols relevant.
All these groups move the force closer to a unified Warhost, the project's main goal.
This project is more than assembling models; it is about creating a Warhost rich in narrative.
That is what I like and want from this project.
What Comes Next
There is still much more coming for this ongoing Broken Warhost of Byland project, as we continue to build, paint, and tell the story of this themed wargaming force.
Now the Warhost includes riders, leaders, farmers, the Reckoner’s bodyguard, and a foot standard bearer, each new group shaping Byland’s look on the tabletop.
Next, we will continue working through the remaining groups and bringing the rest of the Warhost together.
The Broken Warhost is taking shape one group at a time.
And every new model makes Byland feel a little more real.
