Blog Lord Agragax's Making and Painting Blog - More Steampunk glory, and something wicked this way comes!

Welcome one and all to my painting blog, which has now evolved from being an experimental thread on getting converting Fyreslayers into Fantasy Slayers into a fully-fledged blog.

I'm including a contents section on this post to give you some idea of where everything is.
Page 1 - Slayers, Canoptek Spyders, Plagueclaw and Screaming Bell 1:
http://www.lustria-online.com/threads/lord-agragaxs-making-and-painting-blog-heroes-villains-and-aliens.19839/
Page 2 - Plagueclaw and Screaming Bell 2, Plague Priest, Tyranid Warriors, Bounty Huntress, Devastators:
http://www.lustria-online.com/threa...-blog-heroes-villains-and-aliens.19839/page-2
Page 3 - Saurus Warriors and 2 Skinks:
http://www.lustria-online.com/threa...log-blimey-some-actual-lizardmen.19839/page-3
Page 4 - High Elf Spearmen and Noble, Orc Big'Uns, Necron Reinforcements and Assorted Night Goblins:
http://www.lustria-online.com/threa...log-da-bad-moon-spoke-to-me-once.19839/page-4
Page 5 - Lothern Sea Guard, Dwarf Warriors (HW+S and GW), Tiranoc Chariot, Archmage, Rat Ogres, Moonscape Craters, Stegadon Giant Blowpipe Fitting, Flame Cannon and Thane with Battle Standard:
https://www.lustria-online.com/thre...dwarf-and-skaven-machines-of-war.19839/page-5
Page 6 - Dwarf Master Engineer, Skaven Warp-Grinder, Orc Huts and Tower, Squig Hoppers, Stormboyz, Orc Shaman and some extra Big'Uns
https://www.lustria-online.com/thre...rtifications-and-supplies-arrive.19839/page-6
Page 7 - Beastman Bray-Shaman and Bestigors, Dwarf Grudge Pony and King's Wall, Orc Arrer Boyz and Bosses, Night Goblin Fanatics, Doom Flayer, Roman Legionaries and Celtic Warriors:
https://lustria-online.com/threads/...log-steampunk-buildings-and-ulla.19839/page-7
Page 8 - More Necron Reinforcements, High Elf Archers, Tyranid Neurogaunts, Neurotyrant and Psychophage, Ork Battlewagon conversion, first Armoured Clash buildings and Martian Tripods 1:
https://lustria-online.com/threads/...log-steampunk-buildings-and-ulla.19839/page-8

Start of Blog
I know this is a Lizardmen forum and not a Dwarf forum but I've just been getting excited recently because I was looking to add some slayers to my Dwarf army for 8th Ed and by this time the original finecast models had gone. However, GW had released the Fyreslayers, including the first ever monster for a Dwarf faction, the Magmadroth!

While I couldn't get away with using a Magmadroth in 8th Edition (especially at an unbelievable price of £60), I had a look at the bog-standard Vulkite Berzerker box, as they were the closest thing to the original slayers I could find. The first thing about having a look in the box is how massive the AoS bases are for them - they are far too big for Dwarfs. They're fine for things like Saurus and Chaos Warriors, and are probably the round equivalent of their original fantasy bases, but are far too big for Dwarfs - regular 40K bases would have been much better. Anyway, I had been keeping back a collection of 10 20mm x 20mm square bases to use specifically for these Fyreslayers to make a fantasy unit, and after building them and putting them together, they fit quite nicely together as a unit. As soon as I have time to take a picture I will post it online. I especially like the dynamic element of the new slayer minis because Slayers are more killy and less defence-oriented - you wouldn't see slayers standing firm in a shieldwall like the other Dwarfs, they would all be hurling themselves forward ready to lop off heads and slay the biggest things they can find, and the AoS set certainly captures this. The box comes with a musician and Champion but no standard bearer, so I pillaged a spare Dwarf Standard from the Quarrellers box, cut it at the wrist and stuck it onto one slayer's right arm, and he looks really good, as if he's running with his standard.

 

I'd disagree about base sizes, once you have them on 32mm you'll see that it makes a lot of sense... Some of them overhang even on the 32mm. There's some pics back on page 12 of my blog... hereish.

I can see 20mm squares making some sense, potentially... but still think you'd get an awkward amount of overhang.

 

I have been able to pose them all so that they don't overhang very much at all, and they fit nicely together as a fantasy unit. They have tempted me to start AoS skirmish with Fyreslayers...

 

Look forward to seeing a pic!

 

I have the first pic here! They are midway through painting at the moment.



The standard bearer I kitbashed is the chap fourth from the left - you can't see his standard very well but you can see how he is running with the axe in his left hand raised, ready to strike.

I tried to get as many unique poses from the kit as possible by having the bodies at different angles, to get the truly dynamic feel of the Slayers. The two fully-painted ones in the plastic tray are ancient 4th Ed minis I received from a relative when I started Dwarfs for fantasy, and are the reason I bought the ten AoS plastic ones to give me a unit of 12. Slayers are a really killy addition in close combat because whenever a Slayer is killed they get to make a single attack before they die, and the unit can choose whether to use extra hand weapons or great weapons every round of combat, similar to Black Orcs except that they can't use hand weapons and shields.

 

I've almost finished them now - sorry about the long gap but I've been busty with work experience at the moment. I painted their mohawks and beards with a custom mixture of Evil Sunz Scarlet and a Cadmium Yellow paint I got from Hobbycraft. I'll post a pic as soon as I get a moment.

 

Here we go - they're almost finished! Here they're all ranked up in a riot of axes and mohawks:


And here I have arranged them all in a loose formation for you to see each model:
I'm especially pleased with the standard bearer (as you all probably know by now) because I'm just so pleased the kit bash worked so well!

I'm also very happy with how I was able to model them all onto the bases in different angles to give them vastly different poses, even those with the same torsos like the Giant Slayer (Above, third from right with the two axes and throwing pick-like axe) and the chap below on the far right.


The ten plastic chaps haven't had their bases done yet but I may get round to that today, hopefully.

I'll be glad to receive any comments about my painting and any tips you may offer!

 

I've finished them - here they are, fully based and ready to kick some Greenskin/Skaven/Chaos/Vampire backside!


If you're wondering about the reflection, I took the photo on top of my printer.

I would love to know what you chaps all think of my first unit posted on Lustria Online!

 

They're looking great! A very strong entrance for your painting blog!

 

Sorry about the long gap lads - I've been very busy with programming, internship and other stuff at the moment but I've been doing some more painting. This time I painted up a Canoptek Spyder for my Necron force, originally an old metal 3rd Edition Tomb Spyder model, to match one that was already painted.





Now I'm onto making a DAPOL Country Inn for my OO model railway because it's been lying around unmade since before I started Warhammer I think, so it was about time I built and painted it. Never fear though, I've still currently got some Black Orcs, a Screaming Bell and some Saurus Warriors to make, so I'll keep you posted on what I'm doing.

 

Again, everyone, please reply and let me know what you think of my painting - I do look forward to receiving any and all possible feedback from fellow Warhammerers because there are so few now where I live

I should have probably put my painting blog in the special section for it shouldn't I?

 

The spyders look good. You've done a nice job on them. I would drop a wash on them to give them a little more depth though.

 

I also like your miniatures quite a bit. I was recently thinking of converting fyreslayers (ugh, hate these AoS names! ) into proper WHFB dwarfs as well and I must say your pics convinced me that it is a right thing to do.

I used to be collecting necrons as well, so I really like your nice old school spyders. I would agree with @NIGHTBRINGER that some washing ir required. Or perhaps it is just the pics, but your dwarfs and spiders indeed look a bit "shadowless". But still great little blog! Looking forward to more stuff from you. )

 

Perhaps I could use some Badab Black/Nuln Oil on the silver parts to make them darker. The red bits - perhaps black wash on those as well.

I've thought of ideas for fantasy versions of the AoS dwarf releases - Fyreslayers could be made as an update to the regular Dwarf army book that makes Slayers (Vulkites) a core unit that can take shields and throwing axes as options, Giant Slayers (Hearthguard Berzerkers) as a Special unit that can take flails and throwing axes in addition to Slayer Axes and a new unit - Wyvern Slayers (Hearthguard), a Slayer missile unit that has lava rifles. Perhaps range 16", Strength 5, Flaming Attack weapons to give them some short range punch. Then there's the lovely new monster - the Fireheart Lizard (Magmadroth) that is really tanky but slow and can be ridden by a Daemon Slayer (Runefather) or an Emissary of Grimnir (more aggressive, less well armoured Runelord that could give out a buff or have a bonus when it comes to Weapon Runes). The Runeson could be Garagrim Ironfist resurrected by Grimnir with his own special Fireheart Lizard to give Dwarfs another named character. You get the idea.

Kharadron Overlords I thought could be a separate army in their own right to represent the forces of the Dwarf sea fortress Barak Varr, with some regular Dwarf units but no Slayers, Bolt Throwers, Grudge throwers or Gyrocopters along with them to give more variation in the list. The Ironclad certainly could have 8 or 9 wounds and be really tough.

 

Very interesting! I am not 8th, 9th edition or AoS player, I prefer Kings of War. However some of your ideas will perfectly suit my ever expanding army of dwarfs. Interesting thing is that my major army is actually dwarfs, with Lizardmen (Salamanders in my case) being secondary one. How do you find the quality and aesthetics of fyreslayers? Arent they a bit over the top, even for GW?

Again an interesting coincidence is that as a side project I am now working on is actually Kharadron Overlords conversion, pretty much in the lines of Barak Varr fluff. If you are interested, I can share some of the pics, once they are finished. )

 

Same here - Dwarfs were my first army ever, and I was inspired to start Lizardmen after playing against a friend's force with my Dwarfs. I think Fyreslayers look pretty good - I love the Magmadroth as the Dwarfs' first monster (heavily overdue if you ask me). They certainly pay homage to the original slayer models. I don't think they look over the top - if you want something over the top, look at the Sylvaneth tree revenants and spite revenants - I really dislike the whole 'elves sticking out of trees' idea.

I'd love to see them!

 

I am back friends! After spending quite a while constructing and painting a couple of Dapol buildings for my model railway, I returned to the Warhammer making and painting fore by building a Screaming Bell for my burgeoning Skaven army. After I completed it, I built the Plague Priest to use on foot, although I didn't have a square base for him at the time so in the pictures he is standing baseless. Good news is that I have been able to order some square bases from GW that I'll be picking up next week, so I'll be able to base the Plague Priest as soon as I've received them. My Screaming Bell is now undercoated and ready to paint, after I've finished repainting some of my Tyranid Warriors who are also in the picture.

Also, both @Lord-Marcus and @pendrake have been looking forward to seeing the scratch-built Plagueclaw Catapult I've been building with spares from the Screaming Bell and Warp Lightning Cannon boxes, so here it is!

The claw and slime are from the Plagueclaw catapult set, while the plague censer counterweight is from the Plague Furnace, as are the three crew. I didn't have any spare wheels for the catapult so I instead made 'sliders' from curved bits of sprues to allow the crew to more easily push the catapult along the ground due to the sliders reducing the friction. The plague monk crew are going to be holding onto the arm with their chain as it swings over to launch the slime so that they can winch it back again to load the next lot of ammunition. The crew's chain is currently too short but I am going to weave bits of wire together to extend the chain until I can wind it around the long cylindrical bit sticking out of the arm near the claw. I'm also lacking a chariot base for it (as the Plagueclaw always has a chariot base footprint) but I ordered one from GW yesterday, so I should be able to collect it next week along with the square bases (one of which I will be using for the Plague Priest) and also some small round bases that I'm using for some scratch-built Devastators for my Ultramarines 5th Company force. The frame and the top half of the catapult arm are also made out of sprues, albeit straight bits that I have stuck together and clipped at angles to get it roughly even.

I hope you like my most ambitious conversion project yet, and as always look forward to hearing any comments you may have upon it or any other of my creations!

 

Structurally amazing work - its looking really nice

 

• Is it free to rotate?
• If it did rotate, would the burning counterweight smack the crew from behind and crush them into a burning paste? Which sounds very Skaven.
• It looks like it is rotating very rapidly anti-clockwards in the picture.

You might try ropes instead of wires (to connect that ring to the throwing arm). I can picture the ring being attached to 3-4 ropes. Can't really picture wire being woven to look like chain.

Chain from costume jewelry (craft section at any Walmart) is a possibility.