Tuesday 4 October 2016

“…The Very Personification Of A Boil Or Pustule.”

"They caper and dance about the greater Daemons..."
This 28mm multi-part plastic swarm of Nurglings is made by “Games Workshop” and is one of three such “tottering towers” that can be assembled from the numerous components found within the company’s "Age Of Sigmar" boxed set. Indeed, the 40mm circular base is actually composed of a front, back and middle row crammed full of the “tiny and malevolent” daemons, and such was the complexity of the overall ‘horde’ that I didn’t superglue the separate stacks together until after each of the ensemble’s elements had been individually painted and varnished.

As a result each ‘line’ of the “wriggling little horned beasts” was initially undercoated with “Vallejo” Heavy Khaki and washed with “Citadel” Thrakka Green. The “Gleeful Castoffs” were then dry-brushed with more “Vallejo” Heavy Khaki before I ‘picked out’ details such as their horns, “sores, cuts, lumps and opened orifices” with “Citadel” Abaddon Black.
Nurglings WIPs - These razor-sharp toothed terrors still all need their eyes, sores and horns picking out
As each of the giggling Khan’gurani’i is capable of causing their foes a “Disease-ridden Demise” at the end of the Combat Phase (i.e. “each enemy unit that suffered any Wounds inflicted by the Nurglings in that phase” potentially suffers an additional D3 Mortal Wounds) all of the Tiny Plagues’ festering lesions and glistening entrails were coated with either “Vallejo” Heavy Red or Heavy Warmgrey, and appropriately washed with a combination of “Citadel” Thrakka Green, Agrax Earthshade and Carroburg Crimson. Lastly all the Mites of Nurgle's pimples were highlighted with a spot of “Vallejo” Heavy Ochre and given a generous coat of “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade.

Because I have yet to finish painting enough of these ‘minute copies of the dread master himself’ in order to field them as a complete unit for “Age Of Sigmar”, I have not so far experienced just how formidable an opponent the “slobbering heaps of putrid flesh” can be. However, I have managed to summon a single base onto the tabletop, courtesy of my Rotbringers Sorcerer, and been much impressed with their “Endless Swarm” ability; which during each player’s Battleshock Phase allows “any Nurgling models that have suffered wounds that turn but have not been slain” to immediately be healed back to their starting (four) Wounds. A useful regenerative gift that has caused the tiny daemons to impressively slaughter an entire unit of Tree-Revenants single-handedly.
Mega-City One Undead WIPs - The futuristic cadaver has had his colourful attire base-coated and washed
With the completion of my first Nurgling base, I have unsurprisingly been somewhat galvanised into trying to finish painting at least another two of the remaining eight swarms I own. However the sheer volume of “these pernicious and capricious Daemons” is proving rather off-putting too; albeit I have managed to make some significant progress to a few more rows, including the front piece of a second stack. 

Arguably this dalliance with the Plague God Nurgle has not been helped by my current participation in Zomtober 2016, and the lure of my “Mongoose Publishing” Mega-City One Undead. I currently plan to paint nine of these “Judge Dredd” inspired walking cadavers, and have already made some considerable progress with my first offering for this year’s zed-fest. These wonderfully characterful plastic sculpts are actually predominantly based upon “Mantic Games” zombies. But seem to really take on a ‘life’ of their own when fitted with the knee-pads, shoulder-pads, pouches and heads of hapless Mega-City One citizens.

28 comments:

  1. Absolutely wonderful Simon, the Nurglings are definitely on my radar now as possible adversaries for my Ghostbusters.

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    1. Thanks Michael. I'd have thought with a suitably ghostly paint-job you might be able to get away with assembling the entire piece first too and avoiding having many of the little daemons you've so carefully painted hidden by its colleagues.

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  2. The look horrible slimy and nasty to touch. Well done.

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    1. Cheers Clint. They certainly seem a nice nasty unit on the "AoS" tabletop.

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  3. Excellent work, I have a few of these fellows modified among my zombies!

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    1. Thanks Fran. Much appreciated. If you've posted them up on your formidable blog then I'd be delighted to include a link?

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  4. snot monsters are great but I really love the undead chap. That is great work

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    1. Cheers Martin. The first of my Mega-City Undead is just waiting for his base to be flocked and should be ready for my next Zomtober on Sunday :-)

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  5. There is something about kneepads that just epitomises Mega City One. Nice conversion, Simon.

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    1. Thanks Bryan. I have noticed that on a few of my Mega-City Horde (all nine of them!!) I have bizarrely just glued a knee-pad onto a bare leg. But as you say they epitomize MC-1, so why not :-)

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  6. Those Nurglings look really good. Your colour choices and the slimy effect of the washes/varnish was an inspired combination.

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    1. Cheers Roy. That's very much appreciated. Hopefully a horde of six bases will really prove an intimidating sight!!

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  7. this a takes me right back to my twin book set "Realms of Chaos" days, 3rd edition Warhammer and original Rogue trader (pre 40k).

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    1. And what a terrific time to be a wargamer those days were too, Steve. Indeed I was reading my Rogue Trader just the other day and thinking about painting up enough forces for a "Battle At The Farm" project.

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  8. The Nurglings look great with your gloss varnish Simon, really gives them a slimy look to them when combined with the pustules and green skin!

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    1. Thanks Andy. As you know I do like to gloss varnish everything I do. But I agree with these Nurgle minis that it really adds to their slimy look :-)

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  9. great stuff Simon. loving the Mega city one Zombie!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. That one is now finished and has come out rather colourfully tbh. I'm rather enjoying their more simple painting style to all the lumps and bumps of my Nurglings; though they're both still green-skinned :-)

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  10. Those Nurglings have really come out well!

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    1. Thanks Gordon. I'm not sure I'm painting them as efficiently as they could be. But I think they'll look scary on the tabletop. I'll certainly be glad when I've done enough to post a unit photo!!

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  11. The Nurglings look great Simon. :)

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    1. Cheers Leon. One down... eight to go... gibber...

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  12. Make sure at least one of these MC1 zombies' kneepads features the classic "GOG" on it. :)

    Nurglings really work better as a swarm and your nasty washes make them look like a big pile of bogeys. Not a bad thing.

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    1. Thanks Dai. I've actually never seen "GOG" on a MC-1 Kneepad, so perhaps I don't know my "Judge Dredd" lore as well as I thought [blush].

      More bogey-coloured Nurglings coming, as I've now finished my second swarm and am trying to push on with the third so I field at least a minimum strength unit in "AoS".

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  13. "The nurgling cheerleaders, whilst colourful weren't up to their usual standard" - unknown reporter. Great fun piece, Blaxxm but how will you be able to use them?
    Love the zombies too btw.

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    1. Cheers Joe - love the quote!! :-)

      The Nurglings appear pretty 'run-of-the-mill' game-wise tbh. But if one of their attacks can get through then their Disease-ridden Demise D3 Mortal Wounds can prove formidable. Ideally I'll be able to run a unit of three bases as a shield wall, which will allow a Nurgle Hero to close with the enemy without taking any damage.

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  14. Nurglings have turned out awesomely dude :D

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