“…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.