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!