Blog The Jade Host: Mayan Lizardmen

Hahaha

You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.

 

Love where you are going with the Coatl model!

 

Except that I view AoS as the Jar Jar Binks of the warhammer world/hobby!

 

But what if... jar jar IS the dark side?? I cite robot chicken star wars as my reference.

 

Then I go back to my original statement: "You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

 

Those snake swarms are great. I love the scenery as well, this army is really looking nice. Incidentally, I got to visit a few ancient mayan temples this past year, and what a great adventure it was to see the architecture that these people created.

 

Thanks! I hope to continue making more scenery someday. I also got to see some mayan ruins a little over a year ago, took some great pictures!

Spoiler

Xunantunich:


Tulum

If I ever get to see more I will add more pictures!

Ok, time for some more Lizards. Next up are some newer units I have been working on, first my Temple Guard. I got five of the old metal models way back when which I painted up:



And some time after the new plastic temple guard came out! I loved how the new models looked; I think they really captured the Mayan/Mesoamerican feel of the army. Right now including my five originals I have a unit of 25, and adding in Chakkax I have a unit of 26 total which fits perfectly around my Slann.



My Chakkax stand-in is named Janaab Pakal, the “Sun Shield” of Mutal, and the eternity warden of Jatzom Kuh. He has protected his Slann overlord since the time of the Great Catastrophe and is never known to have said a word. My model is still unfinished, I hope to add an actual shield to him at some point. He is named for one of the greatest Mayan kings, Pakal the Great of Palenque (name glyph below.



Probably my most favorite model is my recently finished Stegadon! A few WIP pictures for you:





I really loved putting this model together, and really have enjoyed many of the beautiful examples this forum has to offer.



The completed Stegadon is known as Yax Witz, the Green Mountain, still young by most stegadon standards but large enough to charge into battle controlled (mostly) by his brave skink crew. Yax Witz is a living tank, smashing through many weaker enemy units (and the occasional treeman), while his crew desperately tries to hit something with their bolt thrower. His crew hasn’t succeeded yet, but not for lack of trying.

I also recently received a unit of terradon riders, but they are still in the WIP stages. More pictures later!

 

I have heard those mayan words somewhere...
Nice temple guard horde by the way!

 

Was it from my fluff blog?

For those of you who haven't seen Jorgik's list of Mayan words I highly recommend it.

Now for more Mayan named Lizards! Time for some Lords and Heroes.


Jatzom Kuh- “Spearthrower Owl” Visions of War

A Slann Mage priest of the fourth generation, "young" and warlike compared to most other Slann. Jatzom Kuh reclaimed the Lost City of Mutal and has since rebuilt the ruins into his seat of power while he attempts to discover the arcane magic of the Great Calendar. He has ordered and fought several campaigns against the warmblood treasure-seekers defiling his coastline.


Jatzom Kuh Name-glyph



In his history on the table top he has used High Magic, Lores of Fire, Life, and Heavens, and several times has attempted to fly off his palanquin and decimate whatever squad is in front of him since he was never glued down by his skink attendants. His name and name glyph come from an ancient king of Teotihuacan believed responsible for the conquest of Tikal, Uaxatun, and several other Mayan-city states during the Classic period. The name “visions of war” is something I made up myself because there is no literal translation of the ancient king Spearthrower Owl’s name deciphered just yet, but I think the meaning “visions of war” sets a pretty good tone for this guy.


Sijak K’ak- “Smoke Frog” Fire is Born

Saurus Oldblood. Known as the “Smoke Frog” to the warmblood scholars of the New World, Sijak K’ak is the commanding general of the Jade Host. In battle he is a brutal killing machine who rides in to battle on his carnosaur Tajal.


Sijak K'ak Name-Glyph



Sijak K’ak is a work in progress, still needs a lot of work done. I don’t care for the new style to the oldblood head and head crest, so I cropped it a bit and swapped it for a temple guard head. Also gave him a custom war-halberd and a new shield. He is named for a Teotihuacan war leader who conquered the Mayan city states of Tikal, Uaxatun, and other on the command of Jatzom Kuh.


Yax Nuunayiin- “Curl Snout” First Green Crocodile

Saurus Scar Veteran of the Jade Host and Lord of the Ceiba Jungles.


Yax Nuunayiin Name-glyph



First scar veteran model I ever had was back when I first started the Lizardmen. Serves as Sijak K’ak’s right hand commander on the ground, and normally leads one of the saurus infantry blocks of the army. His name and name glyph come from an ancient Tikal king who was installed in power by Sijak K’ak. If I had to pick a favorite Lizardmen model, it would have to be this guy.

Also has anyone had difficulty keeping this model standing up? Since he was kinda heavy, being made of metal and all, he kept falling over during battles. I finally added a nickel under his base that solved the problem.


Yaxum Balum- “Bird Jaguar”

Saurus scar veteran on cold one, leads the cold one hunting packs, Waymaster of Ikal


Yaxum Balum Name-glyph



Named for a famous king of the ancient Mayan city of Yaxchillan. This model was fun to put together; I wanted to use some of the extra left-handed axes in the box so I just made my leftover saurus cavalry model into a scar-veteran.

Not sure what happened on this picture, but his shield has been repainted since then. I will add an updated picture when I finally get him (and the rest of these characters bases finished).

 

Just the Skink Priests left:

Skink Court

Last group of characters for now are my skink priests (because you have already seen the coatl-rider). These guys normally function as scroll caddys, and use the lore of the heavens for long range damage support for the Slann and rest of the army. Occasionally they are used for lore of beasts, maybe someday will turn one of these guys into a dragon…



Yax Kuk’mo- the Green Priest, devoted to Tzunki. Named for Green Quetzl Macaw, first king of Copan, who I believe also was installed in ancient days by Sijak K’ak and the Teotihuacan invasion of the Mayan city-states.


Yax Kuk'mo Name-glyph(s)

Q'uq'umatz- the Yellow Priest, the Recorder of the Long Count. Name means “feathered serpent,” another name for Kulkulkan.


Feathered Serpent Statue (because I couldn't find the name glyph)

Otowik- the Red Priest, leader of the cult of Sotek. Name is an ancient name for the city of Copan, means “Three Stones.”


Copan Name-glyph

As @Crowsfoot has pointed out, still have to do some basing...

 

Very nice... any more pictures of Smoke Frog and his Carno?... it looks awesome. That shield colour scheme/pattern is really cool.

 

And all of the cities were built in four quadrants, centered around the four colors which each represented a different stage of life and the evolution of the day.

Really like the Slann, absolutely my favorite. I also love that you are associating the army to the Mayan culture!

 

Awesome idea with the temple guard carnosaur rider!! And I see you painted his shield with the same pattern as your carnosaur´s skin!

 

Found a few more, I didn't post them originally because I didn't want my hands in the photos... I still need to cast the base before I can glue him down anywhere.





Smoke Frog's "saddle" is made from some extra saurus banners (cropped to be a little smaller) and a clay slann-glyph that I made myself.

Also I painted up the Troglodon's head. The carnosaur/troglodon body is not finished yet, I still need to decide exactly what paints to use for his underside.

Thanks! I did this deliberately. My first Lizardmen book said something about painting the shields you use the same color as the reptilian beasts that the Lizardmen use. My temple guard and oldblood on carnosaur use shields made from Carnosaur hides, while my saurus use shields taken from cold ones. Some of the skinks use shields taken from stegadon hides, or others are just cold ones. Helps tie the army together.

Your quote reminded me of a picture I have of the Mayan cosmos:



Way back when I started the army I tried to have each of the units of the army follow at least one of the four "primary" Mayan colors of white, red, black, and yellow, with "center" represented by green. Green being the center tied into my army fluff for why Tzunki wound up being the primary deity of the city of Mutal. I don't have too many that are white (except if you count the temple guard and the oldblood) but most fall into these categories.

 

I really like the colour scheme for the carno and the troglodon! The saddle looks awesome! Working around thise four colours and a green center is a pretty good challenge and you have made some good stylistic choices here!

 

That turned out really well! Looking good.

 

Are the troglodon and carnosaur heads magnetized?!?

 

no just snapped on I am too cheap to go buy magnets at the moment. The carnosaur/troglodon model was made pretty well, both heads snap on or off with no real effort. If I ever get another cheap carnosaur body I may make use of the extra troglodon head.

Also I have been considering doing something like the amazing troglodon conversion done by @kubapj

Edit:

just realized there was a Vulcan emoji

Also I think the forum is broken, I can't like any of @kubapj's stuff twice. The level of painting skills and ability to expertly and beautifully base his miniatures is an amazing source of inspiration!

 

This one?
Troglodon, Gor- Rok and Carno by Kubapj