Path to Glory Campaign - Short Resume

Today I finished the Path to Glory campaign I initiated at my FLGS. Here's a short narrative story about my champion's journey:

Prologue

Vlad the Poker was a merciless and cunning killer before getting the blood kiss of an unknown vampire. His past is shrouded in mistery, yet somehow he managed to get elevated to a lord's title. One day came across the carcass of a dragon, and using his necromantic knowledge, resurrected it to serve him as a mount and as a tool of war.

Then he set out to defeat the local warring warlords who were potential threats of him becoming a powerful ruler of the lands. To reach this pinnacle, first he had to recruit able bodies. He found the barrow of an ancient renowned warrior, burried with his horse and his honor guard. He quickly raised them and bound their bodies forever in his service.

Chapter I.

Soon Vlad met his first contender - Virulax, a greater demon of the always merry Rain Father. Vlad didn't realize that this encounter with him wouldn't be his last. Virulax, blessed by Nurgle, overwhelmed Vlad, who was overconfident of his newly found abilities. He had no choice - declare defeat and retreat. Live - or in his case - remain dead for another day.

Chapter II.

Vlad stopped for a while, to plan his next move. He hoped to find creatures of untold power, that would aid him in his conquest. He captured a follower of Tzeentch, from a local herd of beasts led by Bââââh the Humbugger, who was marauding the local lands. He prepared the Enlightened Tzaangor for a sacrifice, so his blood would draw in the bloodthirsty Vargheists from the deepest, darkest and most terrifying chasms. The herd reacted and charged Vlad and his followers, but they were massacred and too late - the sacrifice was done and the Vergheists were summoned.

Chapter III.

Vlad now with his forces bolstered, ventured out again. During his expedition, he came across of an ambitious, but feeble Skaven Grey Seer named Skitty. He sought to try out his new test subjects so he challenged Vlad for a fight. Cowards as they were, the Skaven grouped together and waited for the enemy. Two rivals faced each other, but Vlad was cunning too. He sent his vanguard to circle around the mutated rats, while himself charged the main line. Thanks to his clever ambush and the Skaven's negligence, the latter was utterly defeated.

Chapter IV.

Now Vlad, almost unopposed, sought out more knowledge in a vault of dark secrets. Here he found Nighthaunts driven to insanity by their past deeds and an eternity of torment. He realized he couldn't get to his goal with reason. These spirits only understood one thing - murder. The Red Duke, a past executioner, led these Nighthaunts. He was so driven to insanity, he instantly fell to Vlad's trap. While his vanguard charged the left flank of the enemy, they left an opening for Vlad, who went straight for the prize. After a fierce battle with Spirit Hosts, he got to the Red Duke, and released him from its suffering. One could call he showed mercy. He hoped to find knowledge, but he only found the vault in ruins. On his way out, he found a wittered prisoner of the Nighthaunts. Vlad spared his life in exchange for his servitude. He turned out to be a vile necromancer in search for dark power, captured by the tormented spirits.

Chapter V.

The vampire lord continued to seek out new foes, eliminating competition and raising their fallen soldiers as new recruits. Unknown to him, a foe already found him. The Doom Guy, a powerful and superb warrior of Khorne, set a trap for Vlad. Unlike the rest of the Bloodthirsters, this one choose to wait, instead of charge forward. He watched Vlad's movement, and waited until his army got separated, then he striked. Demons of Khorne, conjured by blood and war poured out and surrounded Vlad and his Vanguard. Vlad, with no choice left, sent a part of his units to keep the demons at bay, while he prepared to flee. Even though a Skull Cannon scored a direct hit on him, he was still able to escape and kill in the rest of the warband to finish his enemy off.

Final Chapter

The final challange came. The Trial of the Champions. Four warbands, led into battle by ambitious leaders, only one to come out as victorious. Vlad choose a strategic location near a Realmgate, that could be easily defended if needed. He saw in the promoximity lights shooting down the sky, and soon realized a smaller stormhost was set up defensively in a nearby fort. He wasn't about to allow them to get a foothold in the area he desperately wanted to defend. He sent his vanguard out, him close nearby, flying around a tower were a ballista was set up. But the treacherous Skaven gave the Stormcast valuable information about Vlad's movements and the Ballista zeroed him in. They showed no mercy and shot him down from the sky. Vlad would never see his plans realized. His army retreated, only to fade into obscurity.
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The campaign was really fun, I got to play against multiple opponents with different armies and varying style. I got to see a small force of skirmish turn into a smaller army. Endre's victory in the final battleplan was no suprise - not only he had a resilient army, but he also chose to weather out the storm! Well deserved victory nonetheless.

I am gratefull to everyone who participated in this campaign, hope you enjoyed it!

Kitbashing and Painting Wight King with Baleful Tomb Blade on Skeletal Steed

Happy New Year Fellow Hobby Enthusiasts!

Since there is only a very old model kit available from Games Workshop for a Wight King on a Skeletal Steed, I decided to kitbash one for myself. Since there is no points costs for adding a mount for the Wight King and I need a fast supporting hero for my Black Knights, it is a much preferred unit in a Legions of Nagash army where I include BK.

The Kitbashing

Even if the GW kit is old, I still used it as inspiration. As you can see, I used the Black Knights horse as a base for this model, I added the Seneschal head and a shield from the Grave Guard kit. For the sword I used the one from the Vampire Lord on a Zombie Dragon kit, carefully sawing the blade and glueing it to the hilt. For the horse's head, I used one from the Citadel Skulls kit, I cut down the original head and used green stuff to add rotten tendons and to cover any seems between the two pieces. I also cut down leather straps between the horse's head and the saddle, and added cut out chain pieces from the Hexwraiths weapons.

The Painting

I primed the model with Zandri Dust spray. I always like to start with the base of the miniature, since I find that the most messy part. I like Games Workshop texture paints, as those are easy to use and I had previous issues with sand and PVA glues just peeling of the bases. I used Armageddon Dust, shaded with Agrax Earthshade and drybrushed with Tyrant Skull. I also like to throw in some stones, and paint them with Mechanicus Standar Grey and Dawnstone.

I painted the armour of the horse and the rider. I choose gold and copper as the main colours. For the shoulderpads and helmet I used Gehenna's Gold, Balthasar Gold, Retributor Armor. I gradually mixed these colours together and applied incrementally, I can't tell you a recipe, because I don't have one. I used Agrax Earthshade and Reikland Fleshshade Gloss as washes. For the chestplate I used Brass Scorpion and Runelord Brass. For the steed's armour I used Screaming Bell and Hashut Copper. I used Nihilakh Oxide to weather the copper and brass. For the chainmail and chains I used Leadbelcher and Stormhost Silver, and applied weathering with Ryza Rust. I was a bit in the mood to experiment, so I added more battle damage and weathering to the copperplates, adding damaged effect by applying Agrax Earthshade in specific spots and highlight around those spots adding a dept effect in an otherwise flat surface.

I had a hard time picking a colour for the Wight King's robes, I already have two in green/red and didn't want black. In the end I went for a teal colour. I used Stegadon Scale Green, Dark Reaper, Sotek Green and Temple Guard Blue for the clothes.

The bone on the other hand was easy, since I painted so many skeletons I didn't even had to think about it. I base the bones with Rakarth Flesh, then gradually highlight them with a mix of Screaming Skull, Pallid Wych Flesh and Agrax Earthshade. I drybrushed the horns with Tyrant Skulls and Praxeti White, and applied glazes of Agrax Earthshade and Seraphim Sepia. I highlighted them with the Screaming Skull and Pallid Wych Flesh. For the rotten tendons I always use Pallid Wych Flesh and a glaze of Druchii Violet.

I painted the shield in wood colours (Dryad Bark, Gorthor Brown, Baneblade Brown), the leather in black (Abaddon Black, Dawnstone) and the skeletal symbol with gold.

For the horse's robes I used Abaddon Black, and gradually mixed in Stormvermin Fur and Dawnstone to add highlights. Then I used a sponge and added brown texture and drybrushed light brown to add dusted, weather effects on the robe.

For the leather parts I used Rhinox Hide, Doombull Brown, Tuskgor Fur and Mournfang Brown, Skrag Brown, Deathclaw Brown.

I left the trickiest part last, I tried only once NMM, but nonetheless went ahead and painted the sword with Abaddon Black, Dawnstone and Ulthuan Grey. I used very thinned down layers to feather the colours together and create a smooth blend between them. I wanted to create this evil, blackened blade effect, after all it is a Baleful Tomb Blade!

Finally added some tufts and painted the rim of the base with Steel Legion Drab.

Hope this helped you with painting your Wight Kings or Skeletons! Stay tuned for more building/painting tutorials!