⚜️⚔️💀Arthur's Crusade To The Necropolis Sands - April 2024 Release Video

Hello dear Heroes Infinite subscribers!

First of all, I want to start this post by saying that we recently had a poll to ask you what you would want us to make in the following month and we will cover that in another post in the next few days, but today I want to focus on the April release which is a follow-up to one of our previous releases that has been very successful, and you've been asking for another run at it for quite some time. 

So here it is, with a bunch of bad guys added to the mix to make it even more special.

So, the King Arthur release from a few months ago was very successful, and we thought that it would be a great way to make a follow-up by giving King Arthur some bad guys to chase down.

And we thought that King Arthur would probably want to go on a crusade to seek some precious artifact. And what better way of setting up an exciting crusade than in an ancient doomed necropolis? 

So, here it is. I think this release will really stun you by its sheer epicness and beauty. What can you expect here?

You’ll have two armies. One army is made up of traditional Middle Age Knights. And the other is an army of Skeletal Warriors from Desert Lands.

Watch our video then do COME BACK for all the details you’ll want to have to see everything we put into designing this release. And also, because we want to hear from you in the Comments!

Crafting the Heroes

We did a lot of research on this release to give it a special feel. We had already worked a lot on 15th-century imagery for King Arthur's first release. And this time we went even deeper to bring to life some very unique pieces.

For example, you'll get to discover the beautiful Lady Elainne, who we have imagined as King Arthur's Personal Squire. And we gave her a very special mount and I wanted that mount to be very much inspired by Heraldic animals, youn know, the ones that you can see on coats of arms and similar medieval illustrations? And that’s how we designed Aethonhart, her mount, as something that would have an appearance that is not completely natural. Its mane and tail look more like the kind of panache that you would find on knights' jousting helmets. And the silhouette of this creature is very much based on how animals would be represented in Heraldic illustration at the time.

In a similar vein, we made a very special Centerpiece by taking one of the craziest war machines of that time and making it even MORE crazy by ornamenting it with all types of heraldic and architectural ornaments, just like precious ornamental objects were made in the 15th and 16th century.

This results in a completely insanely over-the-top but very gothic looking machine of destruction that is surely imbued with a lot of holy magic to defeat the forces of evil.

We also know that there are a lot of role-players among you, and we thought that we could easily imagine one of Arthur's companions trying to find secret passageways into the cursed pyramids to help his mates find their way and defeat evil more efficiently. And this would be perfect to make a roleplaying character exploring endless corridors in subterranean dungeons. And that's how Cadoc the Bold was born. He has a very adventurous attitude in the sense of a Dungeon and Dragon adventurer character. And this gives him a very unique appeal.

We also wanted to have a Spellcaster that would have a very special vibe. We came up with Lady Isolde and I don't think I ever saw a Spellcaster with those looks. She definitely looks like a medieval noble lady, and at the same time, she has that massive presence of a high-ranking Spellcaster.

And I think she is a really unique character to field in your war games or in your role-playing adventures.

The creation of Seraphina the Valiant was a strange event. We started working on this character thinking, “Oh, we need to have a Joan of Arc type of character in this release”. And it's only when we were very close to the end of this project, that we realized, “Oh damn, we did a similar character a few months ago. We cannot do that a second time.”

But it was too late to create a completely new character. So we decided to make a variant and give her a more warrior-like attitude pointing a sword to the sky. So this is how we came with her alternate version. But the first creation was so beautiful and so full of storytelling that we decided to keep it anyway and to share it with you as a bonus, if you are a Hero's Infinite Overlord subscriber.

Of course, we needed a powerful Knight to lead the crusade alongside Arthur, who, by the way, is still available in our first Arthurian release. So we created Sir Agravain.

We wanted him to look like a broody, determined, powerful Warrior who would stand over the desert sand dunes, at sunset, preparing for the order of evil to show up at night. I think that this guy has very strong charisma and he is a very cinematic character.

Crafting the Villains

But let's talk about the evil guys, too, because I think we did a very cool job on them. First, of course, we have the Queen of Darkness and Undeath, Neferkha, who comes in three different variants, depending if you want to have her with her giant zombie snake, or if you want her with her queen crown, or without it.

She is a somewhat simple yet very commanding character. And I like how we were able to mix the feeling of horror and fantasy sensuality into that decaying eternal woman who must have been a magnificent woman when she was alive and who is now hiding the decay of her flesh behind a mask of gold.

Then we have Anub'rek, the High Priest of Shadows, who, in my opinion, is one of the most amazing undead spellcasters I've ever seen as a miniature. I absolutely love how the spell coming from his magic tablets comes and whispers in his ear. And how, at the top of his staff, there is that scale measuring the value of a human heart against a feather.

If you're not familiar with this story, it was said that when you would die and cross the river Styx, your soul would be measured against the weight of a feather, and if it was heavier, you would go to hell. So we thought that we would represent that story here in the staff of our evil spellcaster.

Then you've got Amseth, the Eternal Queen's Champion, who, like her Queen, must have been a stunningly beautiful warrior when she was alive. And she is now covered in mummification bandages and amazing gold armor.

I really love that character because she has such a simple but powerful pose. And her silhouette is very unique.

Then we have Khepri, the Architect, who will be ready to sacrifice endless hordes of slaves to build his insane and cursed necropolises. He is one of the key players in the Eternal Queen's power scheme. As he will turn any territory that she invades into a new maze of endless dungeons, temples, and hidden treasure chambers.

Troops and Customization Options

Then, of course, we've got some very nice Troops. 

You've been asking for more customizable troops. And it might seem like nothing to add a few heads and a few arms, but it turns out that the truth is more complex than that. The amount of work necessary to do that is way more than you could imagine, mostly for logistical reasons. And I will explain that a bit more in detail in the video I will make to answer and follow up on the poll we did recently.

Anyway, for this release, we decided to try a few things and see exactly how we could manage more customization options in the very short time that we have to produce such a massive release. 

So, this time you have two sets of troops who have more options than usual. And we'll see how we can do something similar or not for the following releases. But once again, more about that in a future video. 

So, here we decided to add new Arthurian troops, with a group of Knights on foot and a group of Mounted Squires.

And to face them, we needed to have Skeletal Warriors.

The Skeleton Warriors on foot are available with many options and I wanted them to have very expressive faces that would really make you feel the madness that has rotted their souls through the centuries they've been waiting in their tombs.

The Mounted Skeletons are a bit more special. I wanted to do something more out of the ordinary. Very often, I find that skeleton riders look a little bit ridiculous because the truth is that if you look at a horse skeleton, it's not very interesting. It looks a little bit stupid. So I wanted to give them a little bit more mass and also to give them some kind of magical feel.

And my idea was that those Riders probably had been slain in battle a long time ago. And suddenly they are brought back to life by the power of their Queen. And they will jump out from the sands in which they are buried into a whirlwind of sand and magic. I really like the energy that those sand trails give them. 

The Viperion Guard was also something that I wanted to do in a special way. There's a lot of snake warrior creatures out there in miniature shape, but I wanted these guys to look even creepier. 

So, I injected a bit of insectoid vibes into them and gave them this alien-like skull that I think fits them perfectly.

Finally, you've got two amazing Undead Monsters: a Giant and a Sphinx. I think I don't need to comment much on them. Those two pieces just look simply amazing and will no doubt be the focal point of your Undead army. 

Picture this

So here it is. I honestly think that this is quite a fantastic release. Very often when we have a release, there are one or two hero characters that I'm a bit disappointed about because I think that we could have pushed them a little bit further or made them more interesting.

But here, I love the mix that we have. Every single one of them is completely different, and they are all stunning in their own way. I hope you will feel the same. 

And when you add to that those amazing Monsters and the Troops and that crazy Centerpiece, and that you stage that on your tabletop using all the crazy, insanely cool Modular Scenery Elements, you've got something that is utterly crazy cool. 

I hope you will feel like me, but I definitely think that this release is one of our best. And I'm very excited by the result. I hope you'll like it very much. And if you already have the Arthurian release, I hope that you will add some of these characters to your army to make it even more cool and strong. 

🫵 A call to arms

As always, we want to know which one of these characters is your favorite and what you plan to do with them, in which game you intend to use them, and which are the ones that you will print first???

Let us know about that. So, happy gaming, happy printing, and talk to you very soon. Bye-bye.

Who’s Who + Backstories

 → HEROES

• Neferkha, the Eternal Queen

  Empress Neferkha, the eternal sovereign, rises from the sands of time, her form an amalgamation of beauty and decay. She speaks in whispers that echo the sorrow of millennia, her touch bestowing curses that can wither the living and enslave the dead. Her crown, a testament to her dominion over life and death, radiates with dark energy.

• Amseth, the Eternal Queen's Champion

  Amseth, once protector of sacred grounds, now guards the realm of the undead. Encased in armor that whispers of forgotten spells, she carries a spear capable of summoning spectral warriors. Her loyalty to the Queen is unyielding, her prowess in battle unmatched.

• Anub'rek, High Priest of Shadows

  Anub'rek, the high priest supreme, channels the dark energies of the netherworld. His spells can obscure the moon, summon plagues, and turn waters to blood. Cloaked in darkness, he is both a guide and a guardian of the undead realm. On the battlefield, the scale at the top of his staff will weigh the soul of his opponent against the weight of a feather. If the soul is heavier than the feather, the opponent will be instantly cursed.

• Khepri, the Undying Builder

  Khepri, architect of the underworld, designs fortresses that defy the sands of time. His creations are puzzles of death, protected by curses and traps. He molds the very earth to serve the Queen, crafting tombs and palaces from the bones of the earth endlessly extending her realm of death.

• Lady Elainne, King’s Arthur Squire on Aethonhart

  Lady Elainne, a figure of valor and grace, serves King Arthur with unwavering loyalty. Riding Aethonhart, a magnificent creature with the noble grace of a stag and the fierce talons and beak of a griffin, she embodies the spirit of the Arthurian quest. Aethonhart, with iridescent feathers and antlers shimmering with the essence of the forest, carries Lady Elainne into battle, a beacon of hope and courage.

• Cadoc the Bold

  Cadoc, a squire fueled by ambition and courage, ventures alone into the shadowed lands. Determined to prove his worth, he seeks the hidden passageways to the tomb of the undead queen, armed only with his wit and a sword that has tasted the blood of many foes. His journey is a testament to his bravery, a solo quest for honor and glory.

• Seraphina the Valiant, Carrier of the Celestial Ensign

  Seraphina stands as a pillar of hope amidst the chaos of war, the sacred banner clasped firmly in her hands. It is said that the banner's magic shields the righteous and guides their strikes. Seraphina’s valor is the spark that ignites the will to fight, her presence a testament to the power of faith and unity.

• Sir Agravain, the Grim Sentinel

  A knight less sung but no less brave, Sir Agravain walks a solitary path, his countenance as stern as the oaths he upholds. In the quiet before dawn, he plans his moves, a strategist whose mind is as sharp as his blade. Though he rarely smiles, his dedication to the Round Table and its ideals is unwavering, his prowess in combat a silent testament to his inner strength.

• Lady Isolde, the Arcane Tempest

  A noblewoman of unparalleled beauty and power, Lady Isolde wields magic with the finesse of a poet weaving verses. Her enchantments protect the realm, her wisdom guiding the knights in their darkest hours. In her presence, the veil between worlds thins, her spells shaping the fate of her people. With a heart both fierce and kind, she is a beacon of hope, her power a testament to her lineage and her commitment to Arthur's cause.

 → TROOPS

• The Viperion Guard

  Slithering through the sands, the Viperion Guard strikes with the precision and deadliness of desert serpents. Wielding long halberds imbued with venomous magic, they encircle their foes, a dance of death under the moonlight. Their scales shimmer with a dark luster, a warning of the lethal prowess they possess.

• The Oathbound Phalanx

  Sworn to guard the sanctity of the ancient temples even in death, the Oathbound Phalanx stand as silent witnesses to ages past. Their bones, etched with runes of protection, glow faintly in the moonlight, a spectral armor against intruders. In formation, they are an unbreakable phalanx, their spectral blades ready to cut down any who dare defile their sacred charge. Their unwavering duty binds them to the mortal realm, a solemn oath to protect eternally.

• The Sandstorm Riders

  Buried beneath the desert sands, the Sandstorm Riders lie in wait, a dormant force of vengeance. At their masters' call, they erupt in a maelstrom of sand and bone, skeletal riders atop skeletal steeds. Their charge is a tempest, a blinding fury that sweeps across the dunes, relentless and unstoppable.

• The Gilded Sentinels

  The Gilded Sentinels, an elite cadre of knights, bear the weight of their armor as a mantle of honor. Adorned with the heraldry of their noble cause, they stand firm against the darkness, their blades carving paths of light through the enemy ranks. Their presence on the battlefield is a promise of protection, a pledge made in steel and heart.

• The Thunderhoof Brigade

  With the thunderous beat of hooves, The Thunderhoof Brigade announces their arrival. Each squire, mounted on powerful steeds, brings the storm's fury to the battlefield. Their charge is lightning, their impact thunder, a natural force harnessed in the service of light against darkness.

 → MONSTERS/VEHICLES

• Kharzul the Necromantic Colossus

  Kharzul, a monument to death's dominion, strides across the land, a colossus of despair. Its frame, pieced together from the skeletons of giants and beasts, serves as a grim testament to the necromancers' power. With each roar, it summons gales of chilling wind, its fists capable of shattering walls and morale alike.

• Sekhaura, the Golden Guardian

  Sekhaura, carved from stone and adorned in gold, walks emotionless on the battlefield, a sentinel over forbidden secrets. Its eyeless gaze, glowing with eldritch light, pierce the souls of those who dare approach. It poses riddles laced with dark magic, devouring those who fail to answer, a guardian of knowledge and death.

 → CENTERPIECE + MODULAR SCENERY

• The Celestial Onslaught

  The Celestial Onslaught is a gigantic trebuchet, the Siege Engine of Legend. It stands as a marvel of engineering and magic, its frame adorned with gilded gothic ornaments and heraldic beasts. It is not merely a weapon but a symbol of the knights' might and ingenuity. When it unleashes its payload, the sky darkens and the earth trembles, its magic-infused stones capable of shattering the strongest walls and spells.