Chaos Warrior
Chaos Warriors are infantry clad in hellforged armour and blessed with the power of the Dark Gods found in many of the Slaves to Darkness armies. They are the bane of civilizations who have cast everything aside in exchange for promised power, divine favour and an eternity of war.[2a][2b]
Contents
Recruitment
Chaos Warriors were once members of dark tribes who leave behind all comforts of hearth and family in search of a lifetime of war, taking their first true step upon the Path to Glory. There is almost no returning after the choice has been made as the Chaos gods are jealous beings with little patience for mortal doubt or regret.[1]
Chaos Warriors often join with those who worship the same, or similar, interpretations of one or all of the Ruinous Powers. On rare occasions, an entire tribe may declare themselves upon the Path to Glory and simultaneously become Chaos Warriors. In most cases, warbands of Chaos Warriors hail from tribes different to a Horde's Godsworn Overlord.[1]
Combat
While their weapons and armour may be fearsome the greatest weapon is the warrior himself, who in the quest for glory have fought in countless conflicts, their physiques strengthened by the gifts of their gods and their battle instincts honed to a terrifying edge.[1]
Organisation
Warbands of Chaos Warriors often form the armoured fist of many Slaves to Darkness Hordes and are typically outnumbered by the Chaos Marauders, but the sheer size of the realms means there is a steady supply of Chaos Warriors with some warbands, or even Hordes comprised almost entirely of Chaos Warriors. However they assemble, Chaos Warriors fight as a grinding legion of steel and fury, using their skill at arms and formidable numbers to crush all beneath them.[1]
Each warband of Chaos Warriors is led by an Aspiring Champion who have proven themselves worthy to claim the honour of leading their kin to war. They must be forever wary of rivals from within their own warband and should they successfully maintain their position in time they can rise to higher ranks of champion or even become a Godsworn Overlord themselves.[1]
They are supported by Standard Bearers and Hornblowers.[2a]
Wargear
They are clad in thick and strong armour made out of hellforged iron, marked with runes of the dark tongue to bolster the wearer's stamina and ward off enemy blows.[1][2b]
They often wield Chaos Hand Weapons or Chaos Halberds paired with a Chaos Runeshield, inscribed with dark runes, for defence. Those that do not care for defence either pair two hand weapons, giving them the ability to strike in a blistering flurry of strikes, or wield a double-handed Chaos Greatblade.[2a][2b] Their weapons are able to rend flesh and crush bone with a single blow that are cooled in fresh blood when being forged. Their weapons may be forged by their own tribe or instead supplied by fallen duardin smiths to supply their need for armaments.[1] Many of these are labelled as Murderous Weapons with other marked as Ensorcelled Halberds.[3]
Mark of Chaos
Chaos Warriors can have the following Marks of Chaos:
- Mark of Khorne[2a][2b]
- Mark of Nurgle[2a][2b]
- Mark of Slaanesh[2a][2b]
- Mark of Tzeentch[2a][2b]
- Mark of Chaos Undivided[2b]
Notable
Miniatures
An unit of 16 Chaos Warriors.
Three Chaos Warriors, a Standard Bearer in front and two others on the back equipped with a pair of Chaos Hand Weapons.
Two Chaos Warriors, an Aspiring Champion in front and another in the back equipped with a pair of Chaos Hand Weapons.
Two Chaos Warriors, a Hornblower in front and another in the back equipped with a Chaos Hand Weapon paired with a Chaos Runeshield.
A Chaos Warrior equipped with a pair of Chaos Hand Weapons.
A Chaos Warrior Aspiring Champion equipped with a Chaos Hand Weapon and a Chaos Runeshield, with four others rank and file Chaos Warriors in the back.
A Chaos Warrior equipped with a Chaos Hand Weapon and a Chaos Runeshield, with four others in the back.
2nd Ed Chaos Warriors
3rd Ed Chaos Warriors
Khagra's Ravagers, a warband with three Chaos Warriors.
Sources
- 1: Battletome: Slaves to Darkness (2019) - The Lost and the Damned, pg.38-39
- 2: Warscroll
- 3: Battletome: Slaves to Darkness (2023) - Chaos Warrior warscroll, pg. 111
