Witness the evolution of a collection with one hobbyist’s TWO Drukhari armies

Who doesn’t love a good realspace raid on a Monday afternoon? Warhammer Paint Presenter Emma certainly does. She was first drawn into the Dark City of Commorragh way back in 2010, and has painted two separate Drukhari armies since then, one she describes as a colourful cavalcade of murder, and the other a copper-adorned clique. Here’s Emma to tell us more.

Emma: There’s nothing that puts my painting brain into overdrive like fast, deadly xenos from the darkest parts of the Webway. When I first started collecting Drukhari, I slowly amassed what I wanted an army to look like – a few units of Kabalite Warriors here, some Wyches there, a handful of Raiders for good luck. 

I tried out various colour schemes, but didn’t find one that I was 100% happy with. As I went along, I experimented, tried new techniques, found that I fell in and out of love with certain colours, and discovered that some miniatures just look really, really good in galaxy patterns.

This is how the Kabal of the Lost Souls was founded – a vast gang of Kabalites, Wyches, and wayward souls, each unit standing out on their own amidst a sea of colours and spiky armour. My favourite miniature from this collection is the Blooded Thorn, a soul-shattered Wraithknight banished from its craftworld and now a key part of this force. It’s tastefully converted with spikes, chains, and hooks – if it’s deadly looking, it’s on there. 

Since I finished this army, time has passed. Some of it has been kept on display in cabinets, some unfortunate units were locked away in a box in the attic to make space for new projects, and protected from the ravages of dust, She Who Thirsts, and cats who take a very Drukhari-like sadistic pleasure in knocking miniatures off high shelves.

Then the Lelith Hesperax miniature was refreshed in plastic, and my passion for the denizens of the Dark City was refreshed with it. I started to pursue a new army, and this time they would all be in the same colour scheme!

Meet the Kabal of the Dark Intruder. 

Over the last few years, I’ve painted a few heroes, units, and larger models for this collection. It may be small compared to its predecessor, but the unity of the ashen black, dark red, and copper accents is something I have been proud of – so proud, in fact, that I’m happy to share the key parts of this colour scheme with my fellow Drukhari enthusiasts.

This is a nice, simple scheme that allows other details to shine, such as the flayed skins and acid-green weapons. Painting the more esoteric units, like Wracks and Mandrakes, in these colours also really sets them apart from the best-known kabals, cults, and covens. 

I was very fortunate to be able to paint the new Archon model, creating Kyr’adazar the Spectre, and you can see how great he looks in this scheme, too. His acid-green huskblade and soul trap show off how deadly, obscure, and sinister the dark gifts of the Commorrites can be.

I don’t plan to stop adding to this army any time soon. I already have more miniatures ready for painting – my next victims are Incubi, Scourges, Hellions, and some more Wyches and Kabalites. Maybe I’ll even find another Wraithknight to corrupt and convert. After all, why change the habit of a lifetime?

Thanks, Emma! Watch this realspace and you may just see more of Emma’s army as the Kabal of the Dark Intruder grows. If you’ve been inspired to start a Drukhari army yourself, you don’t have to travel all the way to Commorragh – just head to the Warhammer website, where you can order the Codex, Combat Patrol, and loads more to build your raiding party.