d'Hallion's Basterds | Bretonnian Exile Brigands

For those of you unaware, of late I've been spending a disconcerting amount of time developing head cannon for an Exiled Border Prince - Rupert d'Hallion. Rupert is the result of the layered development of my total bullshit. 

The d'Hallion name, and the genesis of this army in general, started where all good things do for me - Mordheim. As I began to thing about what warband would replace Edd's Mob, one narrative hole I fell into was A Bretonnian Warband. This warband circled a very simple anchoring - I'd theme them around Co Monaghan and Monaghan-isms but Faux French it up - because, well Bretonnia.

One thing that survived the thought dalliance was the d'Hallion name. A hallion, for those unfamiliar with Ulster parlance, is a person of varying degrees of contempt - depending on application a certain roguish nature is implied. In other words - a big ignorant bollocks. 

Rupert d'Hallion, would be a spur the moment creation to jump back into a game of DND having just rolled on a custom wild magic table to split the soul from the body of my Night Goblin inspired sorcerer. Rupert, which obviously echoes my own name, came from the subject of my reading at that time, darling idiot of the War of the Three Kingdoms - Prince Rupert of the Rhine. A princeling who had conspired to murder his father to inherit the estate hiring a band of scoundrels to aide him in his patricidal ambush. A Blue blooded prick to the core, Rupert's adventures would begin thereafter - when the bandits turned on him due to Rupert's refusal to pay them. Queue Rupert arriving to the party on the back of a stolen horse, having heard of a band of adventures who were on their way to making their name and fortune. Rupert and his philosophies were captured concisely when he was conspiring with another criminal to retake his home. The criminal who had expressed sadness at Rupert's losses, home and father. Rupert's response? "You know, sometimes the Pig fucks you". 

Now, with the return of The Old World in full swing, I'm merrily building a small force of Bertonnian Exiles - led by none other than one Rupert d'Hallion. 

So, far I've been muddling through painting some Yeomen, Foot Knights, Squires, and Rupert. However, an opportunity for kitbashing has presented itself with the arrival of my Empire Battalion Box (They're for my Stir River Patrol - folks, I'm in deep, I know). My favourite entry in the Bretonnian Arcane Journal is the Brigands. They're an oppurtunity to had a very un-Bretonnian element to this medieval force - one which compliments the vibe of my Lord Arse, Rupert d'Hallion. 

What I've done here is use the Bretonnian Men at Arms bodied, pavise shields, the Empire Missile troops crossbows and arms, and a mix of heads from both sets of State Troops and some Empire Free Company Militia. Here's the results - 

These will need some green stuff to tidy up but otherwise I'm loving them. My fluff will be these are Bandits that Rupert collects as is personal Men, his Basterds. Thugs, thieves, and vagabonds as replaceable confidants and companions for the wayward Border Princeling, perfect. 

They'll act as forward troops, with scouting, and are my ideal bane to war machines and isolated heroes. Think Rupert delivering the Lt Aldo Raine speach.   Staying safely at the enemies rear to harass. Very much looking forward to having these louts harry some Stunties.