New Clanrats Update - Part 7!

*Squeek*

Well, I think we are nearly there! (Famous last words...)

I managed to get the Devlan Mud wash onto the whole unit this evening and I think they would be OK on the tabletop at this point! I was careful to apply it to the clothes, armour and weapons, rather than put it on over the Ogryn Flesh wash I did yesterday. As usual, the Devlan Mud has toned down the Ice Blue nicely, and given the unit a dirty (Skaven-like!) look.

Here is a comparison of one model before and after washes:

Before washes

Ogryn Flesh wash on skin/ tail etc.

Devlan Mud wash on cloth, armour, weapons.

 And here is the unit together:

As you can see, I also painted the eyes Blood Red and also brushed a lighter layer of Calthan Brown on the bases too.

To finish off the unit, I still need to do the banners, add some grass to the bases and (time permitting) drybrush the skin, armour and cloth. On the command squad (Champion, Standard Bearer and Musician) I might also do some detailed highlighting as they are the key models in the unit.

I'm getting excited about finally seeing this unit on the table next to my other Clanrat units!
:-)

*Squeek*

Big News and New Clanrats Update - Part 6

*Squeek*

Yes, I got another stage done tonight after work on my latest unit of 40 Clanrats...
...Ogryn Flesh Wash.

After putting on most of the base colours across the unit, adding washes is usually the next step. A wash adds depth to the model by simulating shadows as the darker wash accumulates in the folds and corners of the model. This contrast helps to give the whole model definition.

Here are the pics of how we finished up tonight. As I only did the skin, it may be a bit difficult to see the difference between today and the painting I did yesterday before washes, so I have put some pics below to show "Before" and "After" adding a wash..

Before Flesh wash. The colours look "chalky" and there is little definition.

 

After Ogryn Flesh wash. Shadows and definition on the arms, tail etc.

 The next step will be a Devlan Mud wash on the armour, robes and metallics to darken things down a bit. When the Devlan mud goes on, it will be very easy to see a difference!

And in other news...(OK, what follows really is the "Big" news) Games Workshop announced by email today something big for July this year:

"Storm of Magic."
(Trumpet Fanfare!) Just what is "Storm of Magic"? 
N.O....I.D.E.A!

The link in the email led to the following info...

------------

Incoming: Storm of Magic

Storm of Magic - when the eight winds howl...

The Winds of Magic are tumultuous. Drawn by Morrslieb, they are prone to rise from a strong gale into a howling tempest. And when they do no kingdom or realm is safe.

Monsters awaken from their slumber and are summoned from their lairs at the bidding of sorcerous masters. Armies assemble, ready to defend their borders or seize the opportunity to gain limitless power. It is in these desperate times tenuous pacts between wizards and creatures of darkness are sealed to create alliances never thought possible.

A time of doom and great deeds is at hand. Will you rise to meet the storm?

Announcing the impending arrival of Storm of Magic, the latest and largest Expansion for Warhammer, the Game of Fantasy Battles. Launched in July 2011, Storm of Magic describes what happens when great eldritch maelstroms roil across the lands. Magic becomes far more powerful and there is a whole range of Cataclysm spells to cast, unleashing untold devastation on the enemy. Arcane Fulcrums burst from the ground, not only acting as loci for the swirling energies that pervade a battle fought amidst the Storm of Magic, but changing the way a Warhammer tabletop looks and interacts with your armies. With such things so crucial to your Storm of Magic games a new range of Warhammer scenery and Wizards will soon be released in time for you to wage cataclysmic battles.

Then there are the monsters. When the Winds of Magic blow with such strength, the fell creatures of the world gravitate towards the tempest, slithering from deep tunnels or emerging from mountain lairs.

With the new Expansion allowing you to use so many different creatures there are a whole host of new monstrous plastic kits on their way. Citadel's queen of creatures, Trish Carden, has spent the last few years in her own lair preparing for the new monsters to be unleashed upon the world and you can see two brief glimpses of what is to come below:

July is still a few months away; we are in the calm before the storm so now is the time to prepare. Bolster your forces, prepare your regiments and summon your wizards in time for the ultimate war. Keep checking White Dwarf and the website for updates, for when the storm hits nowhere will be safe!

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 Sounds cool?
 Well, yes and no. 
Yes: 

• New models and monsters - cool!

No:

• I'm just getting to grips with the basic rules and trying to get my first few games in, so I probably won't be in any state to try out additional rules.
• My wallet is still feeling the pain from all the other WFB and 40K stuff I have bought.

• From what I hear, there a plenty of people who need other stuff sorted out for WFB first - new (or updated) army books etc.

I am sure that more will be revealed, so stay tuned! Hope to be back soon with more painting updates. Until then...

*Squeek!*

New Clanrats Update - Part 5!

*Squeek*

Nearly there I think! Finally got to the end of applying the base colours...(I think!?)

• Dwarf Bronze details on helmets/ armour.
• Snakebite leather on belts.
• Bleached bone on teeth and nails and bandages
• Calthan Brown - spear hafts and drybrushed on shields.

 

Unfortunately, the weekend is over, so I have to stop, but I reckon I can have these guys done in one or two more sittings...

Next sitting: Washes with Ogryn Flesh, Devlan Mud and Gryphonne Sepia.

Final sitting: Highlights/ drybrushing/ tidying up bases...

The end is in sight!

*Squeek*

New Clanrats Update - Part 4

*Squeek*

Eyes hurting...losing focus...hands shaking...DEFINITELY time to stop painting Clanrats for the day!

Managed to get down:

• Ice Blue (army main colour)
• Codex Grey (army secondary colour)
• Snakebite Leather (bases - haven't done belts or other parts yet)

Also tidied up a few missed areas from stages 1-3!

Base colours still to do?

• Dwarf Bronze. (Metal, ear-rings etc.)
• Snakebite Leather. (Belts etc.)
• Bleached Bone. (Rags, bandages.)
• Calthan Brown. (This time on shields, spears etc.)

At this point, if this was my first time painting Clanrats I'd be thinking "They look TERRIBLE!" but I know that once I have the base colours done some washes will make a world of difference!

Until next time...
*Squeek*

New Clanrats Update - Part 3

*Squeeeeek*

Day 3 of painting a unit of x40 clanrats - first application of Boltgun Metal is DONE!

It took about 2 and a quarter hours to do this using just a regular Citadel "Standard Brush". Some of the models took just a few seconds as really as the have only a few "metal" parts to paint - only the spear head for example. Others took quite a bit of time, especially the ones where the rat is wearing banded metallic armour. (Some of the armour looks like the classic Roman Lorica Segmentata - pretty cool!) When doing those I tried to be careful to leave the gaps between the armour with just the black basecoat as this will form nice looking natural shadows later.

Here are some pics:

Hey, starting to look like an actual unit!

Interestingly, although the unit is starting to look quite martial because of all that metal, the whole thing looks messier than when it only had browns on it (at least when close up.)

What's next? I'm probably going to go with one of my major army colours - Ice Blue. This will go on the robes. I'm expecting that doing that colour will also take around 2-3 hours too. I feel like I am making progress, but finishing the unit to a good enough standard to use it in a battle still feels a loooooong, long way away!
:-)

'till next time!

*Squeek*