Skaven progress for June and ambition for July

Below shows the army I took to the Pennine Pillage earlier this month and as usual a week the competition before they had no paint on, so this is my effort (plus a little of Craig's on the rat ogres) for June also to include the catatpult below and the rat swarms on my slideshow.

Next up I have what I want for July. My ambition here is to get all the units to the 'brown' level. I am not finishing any one unit but rather getting the whole army to a certain level. Once done I will go back round and add another level of deatail and washing. Finally I will go back round each unit again and finish them with some proper highlights and basing scheme.

For those if you without the eyesight of an Owl I will explain what is in here:

• At the back centre is a unit of 45 clanrats with spears and shields pushing a screaming bell with a greyseer on top.
• Back left is the remaning 12 clanrats with hand weapons and shields to make the previoulsy painted unit from 28 up to 40.
• Back right is another unit of 40 clanrats with hand weapon and shield.
• Front left is the front part of a unit of 50 skavenslaves (enslaved gnoblars working a warpstone mine).
• Next left is a couple of packmasters and behind them a Warlord on War Litter.
• Front right is a unit of 5 poisoned wind glabadiers with an attached poisoned wind mortar.

Last but not least I have a picture of the Hell Pit Abomniatin painted a couple of months back. This was for a game I played against Tom's Orcs, a special scenario making the Abomination a focus of the game. Go check out GW's website if you want to see the scenario here: It Will Live Again

By Grabpot Picklewinkle aged 17⅝

Dear diary (if that’s what I can call this scrap of paper form my notebook), I sit here huddled for warmth in a dank dripping cave of unknown location. Around me are my companions, two of whom are unconscious from an attack by a terrible insectiod beast. At least we suspect they will recover, the druid seems to have awakened form the original attack or now we would be three members down. Only time will tell when they awaken and I feel the need to leave something for posterity should this prove to be my doom.

My course started with the realisation I would never inherit the family business. Pinwiggle, my elder brother is a stout and sturdy fellow, true follower of Halfling traditions and skilled winkle pickler. Somehow part of my brain must have known this and I have always been keen on the outdoor pursuits. Many a winkle collection would find me climbing the rocks or swimming hard though the crashing surf. “Oi Grabpot, think you’re a Half-elf?” father would chastise, though not meanly.

Chance came while on the weekly vinegar run to the general store. There at the counter was a weather beaten yet lithe and strong looking halfling of about 40 or 50. Curiosity got the better of me and luckily he was a congenial fellow who after making his purchase allowed me to press him with questions. What unfolded were tales of (for me anyway) high adventure, exploration and living off the land.

Wonderful stories were interrupted when my slightly distressed father came looking for the needed vinegar. After introducing my new found friend Leatherscraper, the ranger (as he turned out) suggested to my father that he was willing to train an apprentice. His tale had started in a similar vein to mine when as the younger brother he went into the wilds to collect furs as trim for his parents leather business. Over the years they became quite successful he now needed an extra pair of hands. After careful consideration my father gave me his blessing and 4 silver pieces to get me going.

I will stop my recounting here for the moment, the manipulative human has indicated his watch has finished and its my turn to stand guard in this dingy place…

 image ©2010-2011 ~moorkasaur

Excercise in photography...

Clearly I am completely out of practice and need to get the lighting sorted for these shots. Need a consistent feel to the photos. I will post a better one when I get it sorted.

*This image has been doctored now with the editing software linked from picassa.

Hmmm

Just to address the couple of comments of I have had:

• Yes I am planning to use my woodelves for next BB season. My throwing game with Undead was less than successful.
• Romans on the backburner, sort of. I have decided to get on with and complete a couple of projects at a time rather than have 17 on the go! (not helped by my current fascination for Plastic Soldier Company Germans)

After a few days of painting apathy I have got back to painting the plague mortar. Having finished all the 10,000 metal parts I am on to different colours and this has spiced things up, soon to be finished I think. My plan is not to finish all the models in the army at this stage but to get them all to a gaming table standard, the problem with the big models is that they are so intricate I cannot go and paint inaccessible bits after assembly so the mortar and doomwheel will have to be finished.

I did something on friday that  have not done since 1986 (give your minds a second to range over assorted images) I played D&D and had a thoroughly wonderful time! If ever there was a game to steal away your time it is that and Craig is an excellent narrative GM.

If I get the mortar finished later today I will post some pics, I am still having problems with Picassa web albums not letting me run a slidehow.

Pennine Pillage

I know it was a couple of weeks ago now but needed to put something down about it. For anyone who has not been to this 1 day Warhammer Fantasy Battle 1200pt tournament I would recommend it.

The first time we went we were struck by the friendliness of the opponents, lovely venue and awesome food (mainly the food!) This year was no exception with Tom being restrained after his third giant piece of apple pie with cream.

I took Skaven this year and found it more of a learning excercise of the army:

• Rat ogres are difficult to use and generally underperform.
• The Doom Rocket is wonderful, never leave home without one.
• Playing to the Skaven fluff actually works, its often better to run away than fight!

I was left with two memorable moments:

In the first game I got Skitterleap and my opponent failed to stop me skitterleaping Mr Doomrocket to the flank of his army. In the resultant shooting phase the rocket landed smack inthe middle of a unit of boys and did 12 wounds. My opponent looked from my dice to his unit and back to the dice, then slowly said 'that's 12 dead!'

In my last game my Doomwheel had just broken form combat and fled back towards a unit of Giant Rats. My opponent said 'ooh you probably didn't want that' and I replied 'nah, I don't mind losing a few rats' - my opponent just burst out laughing.

Whats on my painting table...

After playing bloodbowl on Xbox360 with Clive at the weekend I have been inspired to get my woodelf team done. They are being sandwiched inbetween the completion of the plagueclaw catapult in an effort to make sure I keep my focus on getting the skaven done.

Life is cheap!

This is the tail of my budding Skaven empire. I started collecitng my skaven models about 8 years ago beacuase I used to keep pet rats. Somehow I never got around to actually putting them together and so they sat on a shelf gathering dust.

Alongs come 8th edition with a lovely new starter set full of skaven. Craig was also buying the starter (and wanted to swap his skaven for my elves) and I decided then that at long last it was time to get the skaven going.

Life was indeed cheap. For the cost of the starter set i got the following:

20 Clanrats Handweapon+Shield Full command
20 Clanrats Handweapon+Shield Full command
20 Clanrats Spear+Shield Full command
20 Clanrats Spear+Shield Full command

4 Rat Ogres
2 Packmasters

2 Warlock Engineers
2 Chieftains/Warlords

2 Plague Wind Mortars
2 Warp Fire Throwers

All in all a nice haul and as they are plastic there is plenty of room for easy conversions.