# Archisqueedes Horde



## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Having recently burned out on Warmachine, and loathing to get back into 40k after leaving in 3rd Edition, I was presented a rather generous discount at my FLGS on a Skaven Battalion box. It had sat in the store for well over a year as an order that someone placed, but never picked up. The shopkeep pretty much let me have it at his cost, since no one apparently was interested in it, and he just wanted his money back.

This was shortly after the Skaven codex redux, and so.. I began the slippery slope into Warhammer Fantasy.

I've long had an interest in Skaven.. I've always liked the concept of the army, and with the influx of all the new sculpts, the cheap availability of Clanrats via Isle of Blood.. I've found myself with a great resurgence in modelling and painting (tho, not so much actual playing.. I think I have 3 games in?). I thought a Project Log would help keep the focus, and help maintain my momentum.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Given that I am painting a horde army, my focus has been on a tabletop quality and the ability to paint quickly. All my paints are Privateer Press P3s, with the exception of my metals which are GW.

Everything is purely basecoated, followed by Devlan Mud over everything. Notable exceptions to this is the warpstone.

My colors are as follows:

Cryx Bane Base -- The green prevalent in cloaks
Cryx Bane Highlight -- The greyish green on my Grey Seer and stone
Skorne Red -- The bold red on armor and cloaks
Bloodtracker Brown -- Wood
Battlefield Brown -- Bases
Hammerfall Khaki -- Wraps, eyes, teeth, and the drybrushing on the bases
Gnarls Green, Ordic Green, Wurm Green -- The layers to the Warpstone
Khardic Flesh -- Tails, Hands and Muzzles
Midlund Flesh -- Further highlight for the Grey Seers pink bits
Boltgun Metal -- Silver metal
Tin Bitz -- Dark Brown metals
Dwarven Bronze -- Brighter gold metals

Most models were primered with Rustoleum's Rust Oxide colored primer. This is the color I used for my fur tone on the rats, it saved me lots of painting. The Plague Monks (forthcoming) and Stormvermin were primered with Rustoleum's Auto Primer Black .. which is actually more of a dark grey, but lends itself well to painting, even plastic. (This is a holdover from my metal Warmachine).

But enough of /what/ I did.. let's show you what I have so far...


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Here are my Weapon Teams. I will apologize now for some picture quality. It's the best I could do with a piece of paper, my painting light, and my somewhat awful digital camera.

I didn't like the glassine look for the Plague Mortar, so I went with a more cannonball approach.

Remember.. these are intended for tabletop quality.. the higher res pic will make them appear a little uglier than they are at an arms length.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Here are the first 15 of my Stormvermin. I have another 20 to add to this group, but I wanted to get some painted so I could ensure my concept worked.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Here is Archisqueedes himself riding high atop his Screaming Bell. Included also are some of my painted clanrats. You will notice that I repeat the Bane Base and Skorne Red scheme throughout, changing where I apply the color depending on the unit.









More of the Bell itself:


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

My Packmasters take the patterning of the Clanrats and reverses it. Instead of green hoods and red shirts, its red hoods and green shirts.

Here they are with their Rats and Rat Ogres. All told I think I have nearly 60 Giant Rats. I have another 3 Rat Ogres that haven't been started. I am using the IoB Rat Ogres as my Mastercrafted.

The Packmasters and some rats:









The Rat Ogres:









Another 3 Packmasters and a Horde of Giant Rats:


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

I don't like the traditional Jezzails, and thusfar having mostly entirely new sculpts in my army (Plague Monks, Rat Ogres and Packmasters being the exception).. I decided to roll my own for the Jezzails.

Using the Moulder from the IoB box, I actually look a little pre-cognitive for the Warp Lightning kit.. and was quite happy to see what it looked like when pictures came out. My Jezzails will fit nicely with it!










Single base:


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

My Doomwheel was the first unit I had fully painted. With amazing kits like this, how could I not? I wish in hindsight I have varied his coloring a bit more.. but it certainly fits with how the rest of my army has developed.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

In addition to the Clanrats I have with the Bell above, I have another unit that has seen love. You'll note this one has a base left out.. we'll see who pops in there in a bit. Notice again how the Clan Rats and the Packmasters vary.. and yet how they are similar to the Stormvermin in their pattern. Core choices?


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Again, not content with the old school models.. and having a spare Plague Priest from the Screaming Bell kit.. and a spare Grey Seer from my unifinished Plague Furnace, 2 foot characters emerged.. a Lord Skrolk conversion, and Archisqueedes on foot. Also is the IoB Warlock, and another warlock converted from the 2nd Doomwheel driver head, a packmaster body, a rifle from the Trencher Chain Gun (Warmachine) and some backpack I had from a 40k model.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Lastly for now, are my Plague Censer Bearers. These fairly monochromatic models were so surprisingly boring to paint, that I've held off painting my 50 or so Plague Monks for just sheer fear of the Cryx Bane Base color.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

I've just finished assembling my Warp Lightning Cannon .. and I have 17 more Clanrats, 20 more Stormvermin, 3 Rat Ogres, about 6 or so assorted Warlord/Chieftain models, the 50ish Plague Monks, the Plague furnace all on deck to be painted.

This upcoming week I should be getting in from assorted eBay auctions the bitz to make my Assassin conversion and my Gutter Runner conversions. I also have ideas for what to do with my spare Rat Ogre ringer from the Screaming Bell kit.. and have seen some nice options to make him a Vermin Lord that I may copy. I also have a planned Queek conversion from the IoB Warlord (an obvious option).

Gutter Runners add in a yet not really seen color, Coal Black. It follows along with the dark fur of the Rat Ogres, which I forgot to include in my original paint list.


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## Flayed 0ne (Aug 29, 2010)

they look great...great lines....you paint well...only thing i can say , and this may be due to the camera/lighting...you say youve used a wash but its very hard to tell...judging from the pics it looks like you could use some more, perhaps black?....the fur on the ogres for example as well as some of the hoods and robes would pop out more if they had darker lines...again, this sort of thing plays tricks in pics...great job!...Skaven are awesome!

:smoke: = rep


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

I agree, the fur could and maybe the cloaks could use a nice wash. Probably black or black/brown, otherwise really good looking so far.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Picking them back up this morning, I do see where on the Ogres they aren't as deep as in some models.. I think it comes from where I may have the wash thinned more from a more wet brush than in other parts.. as there are some models I certainly had to pull wash off to keep with the rest.

Everyone's already sealed, so I'll keep an eye on it for future models.

Probably the hardest thing for me to get used to, is that I /want/ primer left over showing, as I am using it as a color (consequently, it matches Idrian Flesh pretty well, should I need to do touchups or not prime well underneath) So when working on a model.. having the base and a huge portion of the model itself look the same, gives this feeling of unending torment. "Fuh, I'm not done with these guys yet?!" when really, I may have a few minor details and the base left.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

I just finished up my Warp Lightning Cannon crew and need to set up my light/camera to try and get some pics.

Little more judicious in my wash usage, so hopefully it'll come through in how they appear.

Sadly, a seller I bought some Hand Weapon arms off of, sent me Spears instead.. so I probably won't get to work on my Gutter Runner conversions this weekend, but may have my Assassin up. Will take WIP shots as I make him.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Is he going to send you the right stuff? Looking forward to seeing your work when you have a chance to work on them.


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## CLT40k (Jun 18, 2010)

Nice looking skaven + rep


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

djinn24 said:


> Is he going to send you the right stuff? Looking forward to seeing your work when you have a chance to work on them.


Yeah, should be sending me the Hand Weaps, and told me to keep the spears.. so now I have 40 Skaven Spears with no real purpose.. guess it's time to buy some Slave bodies..

Getting ready to start on my Master Moulder turned into an Assassin conversion. Using two of the punching dagger/claw hands from the clanrats, and adding green stuff robes over the exposed back and head, and to tone down the front armor plating... the left over shock prod'll likely get modded into a Warlock Aug weapon for someone else.. 

And thanks CLT.. Boxed everyone up tonight for a trip to the LGS Sat.. get to try out the WLC and Jezzails for the first time.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Alright, WIP of my Assassin Conversion .. My green stuff skills lacking, combined with old green stuff made this far more difficult than I think it should have been... but I think the simple conversion works:









And pics of the Cannon Crew painted.. opted to save the wrench guy for a Warlock conversion later.. plus it made the cannon base too crowded.


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## DrinCalhar (Jul 10, 2010)

I just love Doomwheels.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

The Assassin is painted.. Decided to make him stand out from everyone else, as sort of that contract model, I borrowed from CLT40K's grey furred Skaven:









Then the "simple" Gutter Runner conversions.. the others I have are in need of some green stuff work to pull off.. and my GS is ancient, so they'll not get done until I can pick up some new GS. I will be scratch making some slings for them as well..









I really need to figure out a better lighting/camera settings. The Assassin's shading is more dynamic than what comes through.. and one claw is shaded how my warpstone is, to imply a warpforged blade.

Coloring wise, my Gutter Runners will share the blue cloaks, but will be my reddish fur.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Been slacking on taking photos of these guys.. but here are 4 of my more favored poses. These guys are reposed Clanrats.. the non Isle of Blood ones.


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## fish (Jan 12, 2011)

Since it's hard to tell, several of the Gutter Runners have their heads completely reposed.. often looking to the side, a few looking up.. and in 2 cases, swapped completely.

The sling comes from the actual Gutter/Night runners box.. I realized it'd just be easier to borrow one of them rather than bother with sculpting my own. Hindsight I wish I had green stuffed it just a little.. but oh well.. they're done.


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