Skaven project : Final part

Am really proud to show you my swarmy verminous army of Chaos Rat-men, The Great Horned Rat probably help me to finish this playable 3000pts army in five months (8th ed , 270 miniatures)

With the Andy army pics in head, I completed my first units with more miniatures (Poison Wind Globs, Gutters Runners, Slaves, Clan Rats, Jezzails) and I started news units like Plague Monks, Giant Rats, Master Moulder , Army Banner and Grey seer. I finally opt to add “moderns” engines to my horde, the dreadly Screaming Bell and the Warp Lightning Cannon.

A Full army pic was essential to restitute the Skaven mass effect . The Bell and many banners overhanging this dirty, rusty and brownish crowd …  All banners are draw, only two exceptions, those with The Great Horned Rat face… Why? Because, It is too hard to respect the proportions of this black Rat face… Not really enjoy by the pestilent rat face I choose to draw a classic clan rats Banner with two sculpted censers for monks unit.

A last word, this army consists only with old units and there is a gap in "units hammers" in comparison to the other armies of the 8th... If I participate to a tournament this year, I probably need to paint more Rat Ogres or Warp lightning cannon.  Skaven army is definitively the most "blob" army, stick the most powerful enemies units with slaves and flank with Rat Ogres... My best technic. Warplocks machines are not reliable, generaly they slayne my own troop but when they work it's a nightmare for my opponents. Skaven army is a good alternative for chaos player like me.

Jes Goodwin Original sketch from Heroes for Wargames (S. Parkinson)

Skaven project : Final part coming soon

Project arrived to his term, I haven't time to take good pics so I probably post Army pics in January.
Meantime, I propose you this Moulder Lord on Rat Ogre, a Skaven blitzer on on Ogre Mutant C23.
I updated the first Skaven post with the photos of the Army of Andy C. Link
Mary Christmas.

Skaven project : Part one.

WD N°137, the first issue where you can find an article with pictures of an entire WHFBattle army, Andy chambers describes his Skaven Army, paint plan, army list and tactics.

Twenty years after, I apply Andy’s tricks to paint in four months a playable Skaven horde (2500pts ). To realise this project I firstly analysed WD pictures to find why Andy’s Army is so impressive.

What’s the principals things who attract my eyes when I observe the Andy’s army? Indisputably, the mass effect give an interesting global brownish colors of the army, others principals things are big banners, strange bases and movements trays. After I distinguish the war paints on fur, shields and weapons. The individual miniature painting is the last thing I notice, it’s hidden by the mass effect, that’s not the central point of this Skaven army.

I kept this reasoning to paint my own army : I must use speed technics to paint individual miniatures, I don't want to lose my time to paint things that nobody can see (Think mass effect !!). On the other hand I take time to make my bases, spéciales bases for élites troops, movements trays, larges banners for units, personal banners for heros and détails like war paints on fur and weapons.

Paints tips : Buy new brushes, paint mini’s ten by ten. Make a black undercoat and use covering colors (Citadel Foundation) for bases coats. Drown the Skavens in the magic Devlan Mud, and make only one highlight. Don't forget, every step have his own brushe size.



In the final part, more troop, Giant rats, plague monks, Hero, Grey Seer and banners.






References : Andy’s Chambers Skaven Army, pictured in WD134, WD141 and WHFB 4th ed rules book. Jes Goodwin sketchs and Skaven back ground in Hérault Citadel N°2 and WD134.

Holidays works

I don't remember when I read this White Dwarf for the first time? But I'm sure that like me, every collectors probably fell in love when they saw the awesome article of the Andy Chambers Skaven Army ... A swarming sneaky army of rat-men with dark banners, brownish colors and rusty weapons. This is for me the best definition of the Skaven style. Since this moment, I promised to me to have the same army.

Four weeks of vacations, perfect to start a new army. I try to end this project in eight weeks (2500pts, between 150 to 200 miniatures). Totally inspired by the Andy Chambers army colors and by the Jes Goodwin Banners sketchs...
Pics soon.

Original Army