Skaven Army Update: January 2011

*Squeek*

Here we are, January 2011, with lots of Skaven left to paint! I thought I would take a few moments to look at how far I have come along with this army since April 24th 2010, the date my first box of Skaven arrived, including a Skaven Battalion.

So where are we now?

The boxes arrive. April 24th 2010. Little did I know...

...that I would have so much painting to do!
The original order - assembled.

Grey Seer.

Warlord (with back-banner.)

Chieftain (Battle Standard Bearer)

Chieftain (detail)

"Tetanus" Tweak Vilekin - Warlock Engineer.

 Creak "Boom Boom" Vilekin - Warlock Engineer
(and Tweak's twin...)

Clanrat Unit 1 (x40)

Clanrat Unit 2 (x40)

Skaven Slave Unit 1 (x30) -another 30 underway...
...and yeah, the bases aren't finished!

Warpfire Thrower and Poisoned Wind Mortar crews.

Warpfire Thrower Team 2.

Giant Rats x12 with Pack Master.
x2 Ratswarms (2 bases each.)

Rat Ogres x2 (With Packmasters)

Plague Priest

Plague Monks (x30)

Warplock Jezzails (x1 team)

Warp Lightning Cannon x1

Doomwheel x1

Put that all together and there is probably around 2,000 points of Skaven (if adding in equipment choices, magic items etc.)

Still to do...

x1 Plague Furnace/ Doom Bell and Grey Seer

x1 Clanrat unit (x40, Island of Blood)

x1 Skaven Slaves unit (x30)

x1 Stormvermin Unit (x20)

More Rat Ogres (x4, Island of Blood)

x1 Plague Monk Unit (x20)

Plague Censer Bearers (x10 converted plastic Plague Monk models)

...and I still have to put up a step-by-step guide for the Warlord.

(Sigh) as the man things say:

NO REST FOR THE WICKED!

AHAAHAHAHAHAHA!

*Squeek*

Warpfire Thrower and Skaven Jezzail Update

*Squeek*

Just a quick photo update today...
...an "old style" Skaven Warpfire Thrower that I finished today...
...a completed unit of Jezzails. (You may know that one of the earliest posts I did was for a Jezzail. As it turns out, I never got around to finishing the other two in the unit, so thought that this might be a "quick win"!)

First, here are some pics of the Warpfire Thrower. Compared to the new style Warpfire Throwers in the Island of Blood Box set, what do you think of the sculpt?
(Please note that all photos were taken at night under...kitchen lights...so apologies for the poor quality!)

Skaven Warpfire Thrower...

Here's one of the new sculpts for comparison...

...and here is the completed Jezzail unit. (As my army colour is Ice Blue I added a dusting on the pavise to make a visual connection with the rest of the army, even if the unit itself is wearing Clan Skryre red uniforms.)

I hope you like them! As usual, all comments and constructive criticism welcome!

Cheers,

*Squeek*
p.s. What do you think of the Snakebite Leather bases? Better than Knarloc Green?
;-)

Skaven Warpfire Thrower Step-by-Step Painting Guide

*Squeek*

I'm probably not the only Skaven Warlord that decided to start a Skaven army based on the access the minions of the Great Horned Rat have to weird and wacky war machines! See below for a guide and more pics...

One of the (many) excellent things about our hordes are the supporting vehicles and almost "Steampunk" home-brew weapons that can be found in almost any force...

...massive engines of destruction?
Check!
Deafen and madden your enemies with the Screaming Bell or stink them out or putrify them with the Plague Furnace or Plague Claw catapult.

...fast moving vehicles that slice, dice and "electri-fry?"
Check!
Courtesy of randomized greenish bolts of warplightning from your fast-moving, rodent-powered Doomwheel.

Now, as cool as those things are, let's not forget one more really cool thing the Skaven have...

...core-unit support?  

Check!

One Doomflayer sized serving of whirling chopping death comin' up (OR burn and gas'em with your Warpfire Throwers or Poison Wind Mortars.)

Now of course, all these items also have one glaring caveat...

...frequent failure due to poor build quality? (or sabotage?) 

Check...

:-(

But that is something that many people think adds to the dark humor of playing Skaven in the first place!

Onto the guide, which has taken some time to get done due to other things. Below you will find a simple Skaven Warpfire Thrower stage-by-stage guide with some big photos at the bottom (I'll post a guide to the Poison Wind Mortar in the next few days or so.) It is a while so I painted this, so this may not be exact, but you'll get the idea!

1. Assembly.

• File down or carefully cut away any flash from the model.
• Glue to base.

2. 1st Basing.

• Paint watered-down PVA glue to the base.
• Dip base into modelling sand
• Shake away excess and leave to dry

3. Undercoat.

• Undercoat whole model Chaos Black (I use GW Spray paint.)

4. Drybrush base.

• Calthan Brown.
• Snakebite Leather

5. Basecoat.

Apply base colours to all parts of the model:

EDIT: Following the launch of the latest Citadel Paint range in 2012, please note that the colours listed below are from the previous range. I hope to have time to rewrite in the future, but for the time being, you can use the conversion chart/ list I made here or use the official Citadel Conversion chart here.

• Boltgun Metal: Condenser pipes on Warpfire backpack. Nozzle and handle on warpfire thrower.
• Red Gore: Robes, flames on small rat that is on fire on the base.
• Tallarn Flesh: Skin, tail etc.
• Dwarf Bronze: Warpfire backpack top, chimney, skaven symbol. Bands on warpfire thrower.
• Dark Angels Green: Warpstone smoke.
• Codex Grey: Weapon team hoods.
• Bestial Brown or Calthan Brown: Wooden parts of Warpfire backpack.
• Vermin Brown or Bestial Brown: Fur.
• Snakebite Leather: Leather shoulder straps on backpack, weapon team gloves, belts.
• Bleached Bone: Nails on feet.

6. Layers.

• Robes: Red Gore/ Blood Red (50/50 Mix), then Red Gore/ Blood Red (25/75 mix) and finally Blood Red.
• Warpstone Smoke: Snot Green/ Dark Angels Green 50/50 mix, then progressively lighter mixes, working through Snot Green/ Skull White (50/50 then 50/25) and finally almost pure Skull White.
• Flames on Rat: Red Gore/ Blazing Orange Mix (75/25 then 50/50) Then add some yellow to that mix to get the tip of the flames.

7. Washes.

• Skin, Tail/ Ears, feet: Ogryn Flesh.
• Robes: Devlan Mud.
• Warpfire backpack: Devlan Mud
• Warpstone smoke: Thrakka Green

8. Drybrushing.

• Warpfire backpack (Wood parts): Drybrush slighter lighter shade of the basecoat brown (above)
• Warpfire backpack (Bronzed parts): Light drybrushing of Dwarf Bronze
• Warpfire thrower hose: Light drybrushing of Chainmail (just to bring out raised areas on hose.)
• Fur: Light drybrushing of lighter shade of the brown you used as a basecoat. 

9. Highlights.

• Edges of any parts done in Boltgun Metal: Boltgun Metal OR Chainmail
• Edge of warpfire weapon barrel: Chainmail OR Dwarf Bronze as appropriate
• Warpfire backpack edges of Bronzed parts: Dwarf Bronze
• Nails: Bleached Bone
• Skin/ Tail/ Ears: Tallarn Flesh/ Dwarf Flesh (50/50 mix)

10. Verdigris (Optional)

This is the light blue patina that you see on old statues or layers of bronze in museums or exposed to the elements. Having this will add an additional sense of age to any bronze parts. Please note, if you haven't done this before, experiment first, as if you get it wrong this is the last stage of the model, so it may be difficult to correct...

• Heavily water down GW Ice Blue. You'll have to experiment to find the right consistency, but I would say 1 part paint to between 7 and 10 parts water. It should be watery enough that you can wipe away WITHOUT leaving a stain. (Very important so you can correct mistakes if necessary!)
• Carefully paint onto any bronze parts where Verdigris would naturally appear so that it gathers. See "bluish" areas on photos below on the warpfire backpack and thrower nozzle. (recessed areas, around nails, buttons and joins between bronze parts.)
• Quickly take a tissue, fold to a point, and dab away any excess, so it is left gathered around the parts mentioned above.
• Leave remainder to dry. (Be patient!)
• HINT: Only add Verdigris to one area at a time so you have time to wick or dab away excess before it dries. Don't add to ALL bronze parts on the whole model at the same time! E.g. Do the Bronze top of the backpack, then wipe away. Then do the pipes, then wipe away. Then do the - you get the picture!

11. Final Basing

• Dab on a couple of spots of PVA glue.
• Dip in flock.
• Shake away excess and leave to dry.

Done!

Here's the finished Warpfire Thrower...

The observant among you will notice that the guide above closely follows those of the other Clan Skryre units I have done to date as the basic clan colours remain the same. (Warlock Engineer, Warplightning Cannon, Jezzails and Doomwheel.)

Hope you like it. Let me know what you think!

*Squeek*

Painting a Skaven Warp Lightning Cannon!

*Neek, Neek*
Yes, yes, the Warp Lightning Cannon is much feared by our enemies!

I haven't been able to work on any painting this weekend, so instead thought I would put up another item that I did while I was waiting for the bulk of my army to arrive a couple of weeks ago. This time, a Warp Lighting Cannon.
As I haven't yet used the army I am working on, I haven't used this weird and wonderful weapon of war, but from what I hear (and the army book) it is a classic Skaven item: potentially devastating - often to the Skaven crew themselves!
Here is the finished item (Click image to enlarge and view on Picasa).
(Below the pics I will add some info on what Games Workshop paints I used.)

From Skaven

From Skaven

Warp Lightning Cannon Painting Guide:

EDIT: Following the launch of the latest Citadel Paint range in 2012, please note that the colours listed below are from the previous range. I hope to have time to rewrite in the future, but for the time being, you can use the conversion chart/ list I made here or use the official Citadel Conversion chart here.

Step 1:
- Chaos Black undercoat. (Spray painted.)
Step 2: Basic Colours
- Calthan Brown (All wood)
- Snakebite Leather (Some wood sections on the carriage to provide variety.)
- Boltgun Metal (Bolts, metallic pieces on gun carriage, bands on cannon barrel.)
- Dwarf Bronze (Cannon barrel)
- Dark Angels Green (Warpstone)
- Skull White (Cannon Dials)
- Blood Red (Cannon Dials)
Step 3: Washes
- Thrakka Green (Warpstone)
- Devlan Mud (All gun carriage, metallic parts, gun barrel etc.)
- Thrakka Green (Around gun barrel bolts and metallic pieces to add a mouldy, old look)
Step 4: Drybrushing
- Chainmail (all metallics, bolts etc.)
- Snot Green (Warpstone)...leading up to a Skull White drybrushing on the warpstone edges when done.)

Crew: 
Same basic scheme as the Skaven in the Jezzail team, here! 

And you are done! (OK, not quite done, as I still have to base the cannon and make a final attachment of the crew.) 

Comments of course welcome! 

Painting a Skaven Jezzail - test...

*Neek, Neek*
While waiting for reinforcements ordered via eBay, I decided to have a go painting some of the models that I bought at my local Games Workshop. One of the units that I really liked the look of was the Skaven Jezzail, a long-rifle unit with good range, excellent ammunition, and an ability to take down tough targets (such as armoured knights etc.)

So, after a few hours, here is what I ended up with:

EDIT: Following the launch of the latest Citadel Paint range in 2012, please note that the colours listed below are from the previous range. I hope to have time to rewrite in the future, but for the time being, you can use the conversion chart/ list I made here or use the official Citadel Conversion chart here.

The picture is a bit dark as it was taken at night rather than in decent natural light, but the process was:
a.) Basecoat Chaos Black.
b.) Fur: Calthan Brown
c.) Skin/ Tail: Tallarn Flesh
d.) Hood: Red Gore
e.) Metal: Boltgun metal
(Jezzail barrel, swords, chain etc.)
f.) Leathers: Snakebite leather.
g.) Jezzail bands: Dwarf bronze.
h.) Wood: Calthan Brown/ Bestial Brown.


After these basic colours were done, I:
1.) Liberally applied Devlan Mud Wash (Fantastic stuff and highly recommended!)
2.) Drybrushed the fur and pavise with a lighter coat of Calthan Brown,
3.) Layered up lighter shades of most of the colours above (but used Blood Red, rather than a lighter shade of Red Gore.)
4.) Drybrushed the sand and flocked the base.

Alternative angles:

I followed a fairly standard red colour scheme based on the one at the Games Workshop website. I'm not sure if I really like this though (I bet everyone uses red, perhaps something in blue?)

Comments and suggestions for improvement welcome!