Army overview:
With their fetid, lice-infested hides caked in filth and crusted blood, each bearing aspects of a menagerie of corrupted beasts, Fiends are an unhallowed fusion of human and animal. Brutal and savage in temperament and nature, these dark creatures vary greatly in countenance; some have a bovine appearance, others resemble rodents or goats, some are fishlike, others are feathered. These grotesque parodies of man are the vile servants of the Jackal God N’kish.
Wearing heavy armour, carrying a shield, and armed for close combat, a Fiends warlord is the army’s General unit, and he can be on foot, on horseback, or mounted upon a ferocious jabberwock. Holding the Inspiring and Bestial Roar special rules ‘as standard’, when taken with a jabberwock the
General unit also carries the Fly, Terrifying, Extra-Large Target, Stench and Stubborn Beast special rules.
When it comes to Champions units (of which a Fiends player can field up to two), choices include a Fiendish Horror on foot or on horse, as well as an Order of the Fiend Possessed Cultist. Whilst an Order of the Fiend Possessed Cultist has the Psychotic special rule, a Fiendish Horror (on foot or mounted)
can be given the Battle Standard special rule for an additional +5 Victory Points (VP).
Choices of Magic Users units for a Fiends player include Priests of Darkness, evil wizards who can be taken alone on foot, on foot with a sacrificial cultist, or mounted on a horse. Fiends magic spells enable a Priest of Darkness to improve friendly units, and degrade the fighting ability of enemies. If a
Priest of Darkness is fielded with a sacrificial cultist, as well as having the Inspiring special rule, the unit benefits from the Follow the Leader, Look Out and Sacrificial Gift special rules.
A player fielding an army of Fiends has access to some solid foot soldiers in the form of Fiendish Warriors, brutish troops armed with swords and axes. Carrying heavy shields and wearing ill-kempt but still protective light armour, Fiendish Warriors have a Durability (D) value of 7+. Typically forming the backbone of an army of Fiends, Fiendish Warriors are available in units of 5, 10, and 15.
Revelling in bloody carnage, armed with great swords and great axes, while wearing heavy armour, and possessing the Psychotic special rule, Fiendish Berserkers are the elite units of Fiends. Making up the other Foot Troops unit options for the Fiends are Order of the Fiend Cultists and groups of master-led Slaves.
Players of Fiends have access to a single type of Mounted Troops units, Fiendish Warriors on Horses. Much like non-mounted Fiendish Warriors, Fiendish Warriors on Horses are close combat fighters armed with swords and axes. In addition to carrying shields and wearing light armour, the steeds of these fighters promotes the unit’s Durability (D) value to 6+.
As an army of Fiends can include up to three Monsters units, of which there are four different types, Harpies, Minotaurs, Megatherium, and Daeodon, it is with its choices of monstrous creatures where an army of Fiends truly excels.
Available in units of 5, at a cost of 40 Victory Points (VP) per unit, complete with their Fly special rule, Harpies are ideally suited to the task of picking off the crews of war machines or frustrating the movement of more proficient enemy fighters.
Coming in units of 3, benefitting from the Fear and Immune to Fear special rules, whilst suffering with the Large Target special rule, Minotaurs offer violent savagery as they bear great swords and great axes.
Brutal ‘hard hitters’, Megatherium and Daeodon are some of the wildest and most ill-tempered creatures of the Orb. The Megatherium has 4 Attacks (A) in Hand-to-Hand Combat and possesses the Fear, Immune to Fear and Large Target special rules. Meanwhile, the Daeodon has 2 Attacks (A) in Hand-to-Hand Combat and holds the Large Target and Bone Crushing special rules.
When it comes to Machines of War units, Fiends armies include horse-drawn chariots carrying a crew of two Fiendish Warriors. Mounted on the chariot, wearing light armour, and carrying a shield, each member of crew is armed with bow and an axe, hammer, or sword. A Fiendish Horse Chariot has
the Large Target and Crash special rules
Example Army List:
Fiends Magic Cards:
Below are Shadows of Centralis Fiends Magic Cards (Magic Spells originally printed in the Shadows of Centralis book) which can be printed out, fixed to card, and used in games.
Projecting a booming, ground-tremoring guttural roar, which abruptly adulterated the still and crisp early morning air, N’ya bellowed his praise to the Beast God, N’kish. An unhallowed and bloodthirsty torturer of enslaved souls, N’Kish, sometimes known as the Jackal God, was the deity of the Fiends. Clearly blessed by his god, N’ya was a hulking monstrosity, his oversized humanoid form saw him stand upon huge cloven hooves, from which stemmed powerful calves and muscular thighs. His herculean torso and mighty arms were covered with layers of ill-kept chainmail shirts and mismatched armour. Meanwhile, with his hide covered in filthy, coarse, blood-soiled matted hair, the Fiends warlord carried a foetid stench.
Around N’ya, under the heady influence of their intoxicating blood-based libations, human cultists, who had long ago adopted the mindset of beasts, chanted with dark tongues as their wicked blades glinted in the twilight. These twisted denizens of caliginosity would draw the fire of the enemy, while units of Fiends armed with close combat weapons would take the fight to them. Savage but sagacious, N’ya, the self-proclaimed Hand of N’kish, had carefully planned this attack on the dwarven garrison. Having, during the preceding weeks, polluted their wells with rotting corpses and interrupted their supply of provisions through stealthy ambushes, N’ya was leading his Fiends into conflict with a much-weakened dwarf force. N’ya knew, though, given the ingrained stoical and resolute nature of dwarfs, that the defending troops would still not capitulate easily.
Models:
Shadows of Centralis can be played with models from any manufacturer, below are a few ideas for armies of Fiends. Warmonger Miniatures offer a superb selection of models which lend themselves very well to inclusion within armies of Fiends. Particular miniatures of note include Brute Slayers,
which are perfect for using as Fiendish Berserkers. The company also provide some wonderful Minotaur figures. Meanwhile, with their Ratkin range of models, Mantic provide a slew of figures which offer a rodent aesthetic to
units of Fiends.
Like many armies within Shadows of Centralis, Fiends offer players countless conversion opportunities as they assemble their different units. With their extensive range of Bob Naismith-designed plastic kits, including some dynamically posed horses, Gripping Beast have a wide selection of model
sets which are ideal for using as the basis of conversions. With the help of a small saw, some putty, and creative imagination, the heads and body parts of Gripping Beast’s various metal livestock models, such as pigs, sheep, and
cattle, are perfect for using on models of Fiends. Meanwhile, reflecting their barbaric nature and inherent bloodlust, adorned with grisly trophies of war, with a change or converting of crew, Gripping Beast’s Pict Warlord in Chariot
model is perfect using as a Fiendish Horse Chariot.
Further information on the N’kish-worshipping Fiends, as well as the complete Fiends Army List can be found in the Shadows of Centralis book.
Shadows of Centralis 