Despite the vicious upheaval and division that has for so long beset the Empire, there exist many brotherhoods of knights who hold honour and courage at their core, and who have pledged to defend the Empire and its people from whatever threats might be lurking in the shadows. From the ferocious Knights of the White Wolf, Ulric-worshippers who take the fight to the enemy with their signature cavalry hammers, to the pious Order of the Fiery Heart, fervent Sigmarites who relentlessly seek to hunt down the followers of the Ruinous Powers, the Knightly Orders are proud protectors of their homeland.
The folks in the Warhammer Studio have been hard at work recreating just some of the many Knightly Orders that can be found protecting the Empire from the myriad of threats that seek to bring death and ruin.
Ben – Knights of the Blazing Sun
The Knights of the Blazing Sun are renowned for their study of warfare and flexibility on the battlefield. The hearts of Empire soldiers soar when the Blazing Sun are counted amongst their allies. As well as painting his knights in the classic black and gold of the Blazing sun, Ben leant heavily into the namesake of the Knightly Order. The standard bearer’s banner and Preceptor’s sword in particular have been painted as if they are burning with righteous fire and the lances of the other knights have also been painted red. To contrast against the bright areas of the model, Ben opted for a colder blue for the knight’s scabbards.
Rob – Knights of the White Wolf
The Knights of the White Wolf are a proud and ferocious cadre of warriors, their origins dating back to the very beginning of the Empire. Rob has opted for a classic White Wolf look; using the bearded heads, cavalry hammers and wolf pelts from the kit in place of lances and helmets, and painting them with grey fur cloaks and dark blue tunics. As they are painted with predominantly colder colours, Rob decided to use warm tones in his basing scheme to create a strong contrast.
Connor – Knights of Manann
The Knights of Manann worship the wrathful god of the ocean and fight as though the spirit of their patron possesses them. Connor has painted his knights in the colours of Marienburg which helps to tie them further into the faith of Manann, as the city is synonymous with the Summoner of Storms. When basing his Knights, Connor used coarse tufts and pools of standing water to recreate the coastal plains that can be found near the city of Marienburg. To differentiate his knights further from the other orders, Connor used the heads from the State Troops with the tricorn-style hats to give them a more maritime feel.
Dave – Order of the Fiery Heart
The Knights of the Fiery Heart are pious and unflinching in their duty to hunt down the followers of the Dark Gods. Dave has done a significant amount of conversion work on his knights, using the heads and maces from the Celestian Sacresants kit, and the arms from the Bretonnian Knights on Foot kit in an effort to make his knights look as if they belong to the order of Sigmar. To further emphasise the ties to the religious sect, Dave has used red as the primary colour and a darkened silver armour, giving them a similar look to the Warrior Priests who will often lead such knights into battle.
Thanks guys! You can pre-order your own Empire Knights and craft them into whichever of the many knightly orders takes your fancy. There are orders for every god of the Empire, plus many more sworn brotherhoods besides, and the possibilities for kitbashing are endless! The second wave of Empire reinforcements will arrive for pre-order soon, alongside a Made to Order offering fit for Magnus the Pious himself. The team has also taken the opportunity to answer more of your questions, and the FAQ documents have been uploaded. You can download them here.
