Who Are the Factions of Hell Dorado?


“DF Editor – Thanks for tuning in for the second installment of Dave Taylor’s series of articles on Hell Dorado. We took a short break due to the holiday here in America but we are back in Hell now!”

In almost every game we play, we are called upon to choose a side, pick a ideology, put our all behind a faction. Hell Dorado is no different, but the questions are: who to choose, and why? The war for Hell is divided between six unique factions, each vying to achieve their own goals at the expense of the others. Alliances are tenuous at best, and schemes within each faction can even turn members of the same affiliation against one another.

THE WESTERNERS

Background – The Westerners are comprised of the European elements, led by the Catholic Church, that have entered Hell following the atrocities of the Thirty Years War. The Westerners reside in the sprawling city of New Jerusalem, a permanent settlement that has been constructed in Hell over the last five years. The Westerners make powerful use of their technology, especially firearms, to achieve dominance over the more magically-fueled denizens of the land below.

The Westerners have expanded their presence and have brought new weapons to bear in their quest for the Prima Materia. The economic and philosophical impact of the pathway into Hell has caused a surge of manpower to flood into the city of New Jerusalem and, in its wake, political and religious strife has become rampant. While still primarily controlled by the Catholic Church, New Jerusalem remains open to members of all faiths, a fact that is brewing unrest in the City of the Damned. The arrival of a great demon host from the outer circles threatens the expansionist operations of New Jerusalem.

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Gameplay – The European invaders have faith in two things; God and guns. Of all the factions in Hell Dorado, the Westerners are the least melee-oriented, working instead with an emphasis on the various ranged units available, while using melee-focused units in a secondary, supporting role. That is not to say Westerners can’t fight, a Westerner company has access to some fine melee combatants that, with some support from officers and Independents, can be very effective fighters. However melee is not the factions strong suit. The Westerners excel, however, at killing their enemies at range. Arquebusiers and Aiden St James can form a potent gun line, while Swashbucklers, with their pistols, are very capable marksmen also. If blowing stuff up is more your style, Grenadiers and Sara Zingaresce can cause a lot of explosions, and the Flammenwerfer means that pyromaniacs will be in heaven.

Appearance – The appearance of the Westerners typically reflects their dour, puritanical approach to life. Functionality is important to them, flair and fripperies not so much. Therefore, you can expect to see them wearing functional armor, leathers, and linens. It is more important to spend their coin on solid steel and reliable blackpowder than it is to wrap themselves in expensive silk fineries. When it comes to painting the models, you can expect to use a lot of browns and metals.

THE DEMONS

Background – The Demons are the infernal creatures that serve Lucifer and his Fallen Angels. Demons are always scheming against one another, and their complicated political plays against one another are as much to blame for the gains of mankind in the world below as the power of their mortal enemies.

As ever, the Demons continue to squabble among themselves for more power in Lucifer’s realm. However, the Fallen Angel Abezeth has recently arrived in the Outer Circle at the head of a massive demon host. And while he claims that Lucifer himself sent him there to destroy the mortals congregating around New Jerusalem, the other demons can’t really be sure that his intentions aren’t more selfish. So while the demons may seem to be making a united effort to punish the living invaders of Hell, they continue to scheme against each other as they all vie for the best position.

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Gameplay – The Demons are defined by two ‘D’s’; Denial and Damage. Unique among the factions, Demons excel at messing with their opponent’s game plan, either by outright denying some abilities, or causing damage when abilities are used. They are a faction wholly focused on melee, and they certainly do it well. They have access to arguably two of the best melee-oriented units in the game; the Greater Damned One of Wrath and the Greater Damned One of Pride. They are a faction of three parts; Demons, Damned, and Fallen Angels. The Angels have  an affinity for healing, something that helps offset the general lack of protection in the faction, the Demonic units bring the debuffs and denial effects, while the Damned Ones bear the brunt of the fight.

Appearance – The Demons are primarily represented by miniatures that are of a human form, sometimes winged angels, othertimes grotesque parodies of muscle-bound brutes or unborn children. In essence, they have been designed to represent “broken humanity”. When it comes to painting your Demon company, you’ll be painting a lot of exposed flesh, and possibly quite a lot of exposed muscle and organs. Pale flesh, blood red, and fine (but torn or blood-splattered) draperies are the order of the day.

 

THE SARACENS

Background – The Saracens arrived in Hell long before the Westerners discovered the portal in Europe. While the Europeans have been quick to exploit the lands of Hell, The Saracens have more concrete goals. While the forces of New Jerusalem are mostly acting at the behest of mercantile interests, the Saracens of Al-Aqsa are more strictly controlled by the Saracen military. In addition to seeking the Prima Materia, the Saracens hold the firm belief that somewhere in Hell lays a gateway into Heaven, and the Saracens will do anything they can to find and secure it for themselves.

The impetuousness of the encroaching Westerners has forced the Saracens to become more active in their attempts to secure their holdings in the land below. Now as Abezeth’s armies invade, promising doom to all mortals that they come across, the Saracens must bring their most potent forces to bear if they hope to succeed in their quest to find the gateway to Heaven.

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Gameplay – Combat-wise, the Saracens are much more balanced than the Westerners. They have less access to blackpowder weapons, but they still favor a combined arms approach, with a heavier focus on melee fighting. While their units can be quite fragile individually, the Saracens’ strength lies in their support units, both in officer and independent form, boosting the faction’s survivability dramatically, either by making allies harder to hit, providing healing, or mitigating wounded states. Another defining faction trait are the Djinn; the four character independents and one trooper profile tend to be more ‘niche’ in their play-style, but bring something invaluable to the faction: speed. A company with Lancers and Dibbukim and a couple of Genies can be frighteningly good at playing for the objectives of the scenario.

Appearance – The Saracens share a similar aesthetic to the Westerners, in that they aren’t garbed in a wide array of colors, but it is there the similarity ends. Originally from warmer climes, the Saracens continue to wear the more flowing clothing of their surface culture, and they embellish their armor and weaponry much more than the Westerners. White and off-white linens are the typical colors of choice, with the occasional rich greens, purples, and reds found in amongst the various ethnic groups making up their ranks. Bronze and gold is used for much of their armor, or at least its decorative details.

THE LOST

Background – Unlike the Demons, the Lost are the infernal denizens that deny the authority of Lucifer and the Fallen Angels. The Lost, a loose confederation of demonic tribes, fight a war for independence and seek mostly to carve a section of the underworld out for themselves. This makes the Lost more likely to ally with mortals to achieve their goals, but make no mistake, the Lost are both willing and capable of destroying any mortal companies that get in the way.

As this new Demon Host arrives, Bran Carnoth reaches out to reclusive tribes of the Lost for aid. No group has a greater impact on the Lost’s interests than the coming of the Aztec Nation. Long isolated from the rest of Hell, the Aztecs are drawn to the conflict as rumors of their hated Westerner foes reach their ears. They will fight for the resistance, but New Jerusalem may find itself in even greater peril if these creatures gain superiority.

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Gameplay – Hell’s original inhabitants are loaded with some powerful monsters, but also boast the presence of more subtle troops and independents to catch your opponent off guard. Much like the Saracens, they work best with a combined arms approach, with very good shooting capabilities and fantastic melee skills, however they are atypical in Hell Dorado as the faction’s strength lies with their trooper units, rather than with their independents. Unit’s like Retiarius and Squamata Warriors can go toe to toe with the best the enemy can throw at you. The Lost have an affinity with the battlefields of Hell, being able to move around much more easily than most of the other factions. Careful placement of terrain can therefore give them a considerable advantage.

Appearance – Unlike their fellow denizens of Hell, the Lost appear to be much more bestial. From insectoid centaurs to reptilian monstrosities, a company of the Lost looks incredibly ferocious, and not particularly subtle. Fangs and claws, chitinous armor, and terrifying visages. There is a sense of the carrion surrounding the Lost, and as such we recommend a palette of greys and greens for your models.

THE IMMORTALS

Background – If Al-Aqsa is old, Daiyu is ancient. The Immortal faction consists of a unique fusion of Mortal and Demon culture under the banner of the Chinese Emperor. The Immortals’ ability to align their interests with the demons of hell is due in part to their inclusive Buddhist faith and in part to their masterful ability to manipulate the political tides of any hierarchy.

The Immortals have watched the movements of the other mortal factions with interest, and seek to manipulate the events of Hell to benefit their glorious Empire. The Immortals have no need to expand their holdings in Hell, but with the escalating conflict between the other factions, the Immortals find themselves in a place to profit from the chaos. Immortal companies and spies range far afield, as their leaders in Daiyu pick away at the schemes of others to ensure the outcome of each conflict serves their interests.

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Gameplay – Light and Dark, the two halves of the soul and the way to enlightenment. This is the way of the Immortals. In the gameplay this is represented by their dual-command mechanic – a light/dark split that allows the Immortal player to trigger different abilities depending on whichever command color you have more of. The Immortals themselves are an elite faction, individually very strong with an emphasis on melee combined with some debuff abilities. They are also fine scenario players, being quick and maneuverable. Because of these capacities, the company is usually smaller as a result. To get the most out of their gameplay, managing the light and dark command is imperative so you have the optimal ability active at the right time.

Appearance – There is an interesting counterpoint in the appearance of the models in an Immortal company. On one hand you have the elite, the incredibly skilled masters of martial arts (and their dedicated students), and on the other hand you have the plentiful peasants. While the peasants are not as skilled as their masters, they certainly have an enthusiasm of their own. When it comes to painting the Immortals, you can expect to be using a lot of greys and browns for your peasants, and plenty of reds, oranges, and yellows for your more skilled models.

THE MERCENARIES

Background – In any realm where war is being fought, you will find no lack of men and monsters willing to sell their ability to kill for coin. The war in Hell is no different. Mercenary work is a booming business for those with the fortitude to brave the dangers of the land below. Among these swords for hire operate the enigmatic Knights Templar, an army for hire that has it’s own interests at stake.

Times are good for Mercenaries in the land below. Increased conflict between the major powers of Hell means that there is no lack of work for those who are willing to sell their allegiance to the highest bidder. The Templars continue to take on contracts that align with their own secret goals, while throngs of sell-swords line the streets of New Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa, and Daiyu, waiting to be unleashed by whoever has the gold to command them.

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Gameplay – The Mercs are a company of individuals, not relying on synergies with their fellows so much as making the best use of their individual skills. They can be anything the player wants – melee-focused, shooting, combined arms, a force that ambushes their foes before they know what hit them. Because they are individuals, they do lack some of the more straightforward elements present in the other faction, but when played well…

Appearance – As you might expect, the Mercenaries do not have a uniform look. Humans, former humans, demons, and golems can all be found amongst the ranks of those looking to sell their sword in this hellish conflict. If you want to add variety to the models on your painting table, you can’t do much better than picking up a Mercenary or three.

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