Wednesday 18 December 2019

“The Dead? Summoned? I Knew That.”

"Fight, and I will release you from this living death!"
These four "cartoon scale white metal" figures of Lord Rascal's Skeleton Warriors (many more shown) are produced by “Lucid Eye Publications” and can be bought from the company's "Toon Realms" range. Sculpted by Steve Saleh, the quartet are the final models needed for a full-strength Undead Spearman (Heavy Foot) unit I plan to field as part of my Necromancer's ever-expanding “Dragon Rampant” army.

Initially primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Dark Sand, the miniatures were thoroughly washed in "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and heavily dry-brushed using (more) "Vallejo" Dark Sand. I then applied a much lighter dry-brush of “Vallejo” White over each decaying soldier so as to suggest how the passage of time had bleached their fleshless bones.
"We fight!"
I pigmented the skeletons’ boots and spear-shafts using a combination of “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna and “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade, before ‘picking out’ their spear-tips and shield emblems using a little "Citadel" Ironbreaker and splash of Nuln Oil. These metallic areas were later given an additional ‘lick’ of Ironbreaker simply to provide the weapons with a noticeably sharp edge and ‘highlight’ a little of the bosses’ raised detail.

I also painted each of the warriors’ shields in either "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Heavy Blue, Heavy Violet or Black, and later tried to dirty these all up with a few drops of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Finally I used a small amount of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown to differentiate their spear-straps from the rest of the hand-weapon, and shaded them with a layer of Strong Tone Quickshade by “The Army Painter”.
"Warcry" WIPs - The Dominar is slowly getting all his chainmail and armour 'picked out' with metallics
With my twenty six point evil “Dragon Rampant” army completed, I am now spending an increasing amount of hobby-time focusing upon the final few figures required to ‘fill out’ my Iron Golem warband for “Warcry”. In particular I have been working on my group’s Dominar, whose progress has significantly benefited from my somewhat recent decision to paint the Chaos warrior’s brass armour first, rather than leave the numerous metallic areas until much later on.

As a result, I have been able to quite rapidly work my way up the formidably-detailed model, starting with his heavily armoured legs, groin and gut. Of course, much of this ornately-detailed plating and chain-mail still needs to be tidied up prior to the “well-rounded fighter” receiving a wash of “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade (and perhaps a lick of Flesh Tearers Red Contrast paint). But this process, in my mind at least, appears a far faster way of getting the figure finished than having my brush carefully navigating its tip around his previously-painted areas of “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna and “Citadel” Ironbreaker…

16 comments:

  1. Sweet work Simon. You have amassed a great looking horde.

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    1. Thanks very much indeed, Simon. I've got an extra six spiders finished to beef the Undead Army up beyond 26 points. But I've been neglecting my Forces of Nature/Gondor for too long, and need to get some more of them completed first.

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  2. Your Lord Rascal force is looking very impressive Simon, more progress on your Warcry has got to be good

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    1. Cheers Dave. The Dominar is almost done now (as my WIP pics tend to be a bit 'old'), and the Drillmaster is finished, so expect some "Warcry" postings over the next week or so as I come to an end of my Iron Golem warband.

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  3. The Toon skellies look great en masse, thanks for the group shot.
    THe detailing on the "warcry" figures is something else - it's no wonder they take you ages to finish.

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    1. Thanks Joe. Much appreciated. The Dominar just needs his red armour painted and he should be good to go. Then its down to the last Iron Golem :-)

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  4. I absolutely love your Toon Realms undead army, Simon. A winner in my book!

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    1. Cheers Bryan. Hopefully I can get the opposing force done over the next few weeks and then start some BatReps before adding more units to both; albeit I already have a finished second unit of spiders for the Undead.

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  5. The start of your own undead horde and they look amazing, your black knights wouldn't look out of place in here either, do zombies next 😊.

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    1. Thanks very much Wouter. The black knights will be the opposition, for now, as you make a good point of them making a good baddie force as well (!?!). Sadly, there aren't a range of "Toon Realms" Zeds yet...

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  6. Fabulous! Great to see them all done a raring t go. I hadn't realised you had done so many.

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    1. Cheers Michael. It's taken me a year but I got there in the end ;-)

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  7. Great army of skellies! I like the uniform stances, really add's a Harryhausen feel to their look!

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    1. Thanks Dai. I like the same stance too, as once you've cracked where you want the paint to go on one, the rest are a bit easier to complete.

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  8. Nice group shot! They look great as an army. Let me know what the Dragon Rampant rules are like, very interested in your thoughts.

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    1. Cheers Undercoat. Once I have the Gondor/Ent army finished, hopefully in the next few weeks, then I'll let you know. They certainly read well enough as a rule-set.

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