Warriors of Chaos

The Warriors of Chaos are a playable army in the fictional Warhammer Fantasy tabletop game. They usually have heavy armour and large weapons, and have been with Warhammer since the very beginning of the game. They used to include Demons and but Games Workshop separated the armies in the late 90's. They have just released a new version of the Warriors of Chaos with many new releases, from Sigvald the Magnificent to the Horrific Knights of Chaos.

Marauders of the North
Although some of the warriors of Chaos are fallen Nobles, like Archaon, most of the warriors of Chaos are from Northern Tribes surrounding Chaos. In the Bound In Iron article in White Dwarf 347, Phil Kelly (The Designer of the new Chaos Warrior book said:

The Vast Majority of Chaos Warriors come from the lands surrounding the realm of Chaos, known as the Shadowlands. They are a hardy people, born in inhospitable tundra populated by Nightmarish Creatures.

The Marauders are not born evil, but they are brought up in horrific lands and as such believe in taking what they need from anyone they want, and as a result are very warlike. Boundaries are marked by how far you can see, and any landmarks like rivers or mountains mean nothing to them, especially as Chaos expands and changes the world dramatically. Politics, maps and law mean nothing to the Northmen.

In the North, it's clear that the Dark gods exist, as they are always making marks on the land, and on the very Northmen themselves. Some receive a mark or mutation of Chaos, and it is considered a huge blessing. If a Marauder chooses, and most do, to become a warrior of Chaos, they will leave their tribe and all Mortal concerns like Food or Warmth behind them. They make a pact with Chaos to make them superhuman, and all they will have from then on is his weapon, some Chaos Armour and Constant Fighting to feed him. When A Marauder chooses that path, he will either ascend to Daemonhood, Die in Battle or turn into Chaos Spawn.

The Four Gods of Chaos

Although there are many gods, four stand out from the rest. Khorne is the God of bloodshed and Warfare, and his followers are always trying to gather Skulls for his throne. Tzeentch is the god of Change, and is a patron of schemers and Double-crossers. Nurgle is the god of pestilence and decay, aiming to spread his rot everywhere. The fourth and final is called Slaanesh, and is the god of Pleasure and Greed. His followers revel in Excess and joy, turning war into an art from. Though many serve just one of these, some follow 2, 3 or even all 4 of the dark gods.

Other Warriors of Chaos
Although Marauders and Chaos Warriors make up the core of a Chaos army, several dark creatures can be used and may also be used by a Beasts of Chaos Player. Trolls roam the North, searching for villages or other prey to consume. When a Chaos army marches south, Trolls accompany them in the hope of an easy meal. Dragon Ogres only arise when storms hit their mountains, and then they will rise and roam the hills and are among the worlds oldest creatures. Even Older and Bigger are the Shaggoths, who are believed to be ancient Dragon Ogres as they will also only rise in a storm. Also included are Chaos Giants, who have been around for a long time. Special Characters for these include Throgg the Troll King and a Shaggoth Special character, who at the time of writing has not been named or had a model made.