Thanqual Returns (Update)

So they just updated again with a better picture:

Whether both sets of horns are part of his head or the helmet I can't tell, but the fact they are becoming warpstone is really awesome. Blast, now I really want one. Still, I think I can add an extra bit here and their to put a little more 'Skryre' feel to it to better theme it with my Skaven. Even so, Thanquol looks like he's got more of an aggressive streak to him. Perhaps he feels more impervious with the blessings of the Horned Rat in greater focus?

Update: 06/01/15

Figure I just update this article instead of making a new one. Seems the rules for Thanquol have been leaked too, though my thoughts on them is slightly mixed. Stats seem equivilant to an average style monster with good strength, toughness and wounds, but with only basic weapon skill and ballistic skill and the leadership of Thanquol is the same (Bonerippers stats but Thanquols leadership). Thanquol's still a deadly caster and is still protected by The Great Horned Rat, but it's Boneripper which is basically the change to all this. The pictures above have him with Warpfire Projectors which are nice as he can fire them at two different targets and can cause some nice wounds, but can go off course and kill friendlies on a miscast (something which shouldn't surprise a Skaven player). The only problem is that I think it More or Fire rule and I don't think a monster can ignore it, so it means standing still and opening him up to attack in order to fire the projectors.

However, there is another option called Warpfire Braziers, which is apparently the melee version to the cannons. People have wondered if the model can have both, but given the pictures above, I must assume you can only have one or the other. The Braziers themselves give Boneripper some serious damage in melee, though would be better suited to fighting other monsters as a monster killing character (a tooled up Chaos Lord for example) could still make short work of him if given the right equipment. That and ranged weapons. Also, has a fumes rule similar to Censer Bearers, so would not be healthy to allies.

This leads to my mixed view: Having Choice. See, unlike a nameless hero who should have variety, named ones shouldn't have many options. This is due to having a set personality and reflecting that through the visual representation and in the rules. I like the miniature, but now I can't decide if he should be ranged focused or melee focused, and it doesn't look like the kit is designed to allow magnetic arm replacements (not very well anyway). This one will be tricky to decide.

Update 09/01/15:

$112AU for this guy....ouch! I still plan on getting it, but considering the rulebooks are sold out (not to mention that they're over $100AU as well), I'm going to just screw the rules and make it my own way, with two top arms as flamers and the bottom ones with braziers. Might add a few extra bits and then paint it. A nice display piece, just never going to use it on the battlefield. Perhaps it was the 9th edition rumours, but for some reason now I'm not as keen on it as before.

New Year, New Floggings

So despite another low depression and lack of motivation, I've begun to push myself into completing another project. Unlike some others, this ones been an on again off again project for about two years: The Celestial Hurricanum. About mid to late last year I had another eager to work on it and got nearly all the base structure complete before falling flat again. This time I'll finish it. I've got just over half the planetoids done and most of that which needs to be added just needs a touch up here and there.

In the same container I stored it I also found a half completed Empire Cannon & Crew as well, so I'll try to finish them when I'm done. While it appears my brother has given up on the challenge (although considering just how bad his High Elves got screwed over, he may yet turn back to Khorne), I still want to complete what I still have. The list of what remains of this Empire collection (including the two mentioned above) is as follows:

+Celestial Hurricanum (nearing completion)
+Great Cannon & Crew (Base colours done, crew still need work)
+Helstorm Rocket Battery (Undercoat done)
+19 Swordsmen with Full Command (base colours done, are bloody annoying to paint)
+10 Handgunners with Sharpshooter with Repeater Handgun (Undercoat done)
+Pistoliers with Champ (Still need to convert cloaks before undercoating)
+Celestial Wizard Lord on Royal Pegasus (Need to start conversion)

As you can see, still got a lot to go. I hope to knock the first two off before February, by which point I'll probably be studying again and I'll have to manage my time better. Still, getting the Hurricanum done would be a big relief for me.

Thanquol Returns

So, was just quickly looking through some links when a little article with some leaked pics showed up featuring an old Skaven friend:

So this is what the new Thanquol and Boneripper miniature looks like. This is both what I imagined and yet not. Seems they've moved away from the old Skryre skeleton based design in favour of a new Moulder monster with Skryre arm modifications. Also, the image of Thanquol is blurry, so I can't tell for sure if they've kept his horns the same or they've modified them. If they have, I hope they can give an explanation on that one (even something as cheesy as 'The Horned Rat elevated him and his horns magically altered to reflect that status'. It'd be at least an attempt at it.

Damn. Now it seems I may actually have to get this model. Not only is it a great centrepiece for my Skaven collection (I guess so would a Verminlord, but then Thanquol is far better character then them), but I've always wanted a Thanquol and this miniature makes much more sense. Thing was, it's harder to use the old versions as the rules for two separate miniatures ment you needed them close at all times for Boneripper to work. Riding Boneripper is not only more sensible (given he can now hide behind the monster) but would be easier rule wise to be a single miniature. Given my financial situation, I now have to decide whats better to get first, the rules or this miniature?




Look at that beast! Me would so ride-stand tall on one of those.......but Rat Ogres treacherous. Each time I go near-close to them they try to kill-kill me. Ungrateful creatures.
~Grey Seer Skratchnsniff

New Skaven Minis?

So it was pointed out in the video on the Verminlords that one of the upcoming miniatures was seen, a Grey Seer on foot.

I admit it, I love the recent editions of adding small rats to the models.

 

While the miniature is a nice improvement over the old metal models of foot, it was a few blurred images in the background that got my attention.

What are those things. Clearly they could be the rumoured Armoured Rat Ogres, but that would make these ones mach larger then the original sized Rat Ogres. It might be the mounted character set, but there doesn't seem to be characters riding them. Given the tubes on the top ones but none on the bottom, if this was a set then it would have alternate options in the rules. I feel that they'll be tragically out of my price range and may have to skip. If the parts are good though, I may have to obtain some second hand leftover bitz and create a monster of my own for fun.

Grey Seer? Bah! I, the great-grand Skratchnsniff, am the only true Grey Seer that's needed.....unless mighty Thanquol is reading, then he's truly the great-grand Grey Seer needed.......please don't kill me most spectacular of Seers.

~Grey Seer Skratchnsniff

Character Ideas From Games

One of the best things about creating characters is the idea that creates them. For me, some of more villainous types come from bosses from video games. It doesn't have to be something particular about the boss or the fight itself, but rather elements that make up the fight that influences the creation.

One such boss that has influenced me into the creation of a character (or rather the creation of an alternate world version of a character) is the NME from both the original Rise of the Triad (a.k.a Rott) and the 2013 remake. NME (Nasty Metallic Enforcer) was a brilliant boss fight back in the day, a machine that chased you about firing all sorts of weapons that just seem to get harder the more damage you did to him. His death sequence involved his body exploding, sending his head into the air before it landed back down and then a second later it too exploded. Add to that the great boss music of the original Rott game had and it was easily one of my favourite bosses of all time (should really do a list on that). While the remake had a more menacing looking machine and the legs made more sense then the old versions wheels, it somehow failed to capture the feel of the original NME. Even it's death didn't seem as triumphant compared to the destruction of the original. Still, even that version still had some influence in the visual design of the character.

As it stands all I have is the head sketch and some background information on the character which is part of a collection needed for a commission I plan to get some great artist to do in the future, but I would like to finish the full body design and write a combat sequence in which he appears (although in that version his head would survive. Need him to return at some later point for another planned story).

Side villains usually only get one or two appearances in total before never being heard from again or a finally destroyed. Because of this, they should always do something that would impact on a character in a way that a primary/secondary villain could not. This is why game bosses are a great source of inspiration. They are usually nothing to note compared to the main villain, yet can still be a tough and memorable fight. Give it a shot. Find some of your favourite boss fights, find out what it is about them that you like (the design, their voice/personality, the music, etc) and then take those aspects and create a character from them.

You might be surprised by what you create.

Verminlords

Given we can now see much clearer versions of what the various Verminlords look like, I do like the look of them. They do appear to be more menacing looking versions of the original Verminlord model (which came out sometime in the late 90's I think).

I do like the look of the Warbringer (who looks like he needs to lead an army of Stormvermin), though my favourite one is a little harder. I'm stuck between the Warpseer and the Deciever. The Deciever has that real sneaky, killer look and his Eshin weapon was an ecellent touch, yet the Warpseen stance and the holding of his orb gives that look like he's about to unleash something nasty on the world. Shame they costs $129AU each, but the End Times seems heavly focused on selling large kits that will most likely never be used in 9th Edition.

More Skaven End Time Info

So apparently across various boards various Lore information has been popping up about the new Verminlords. Four are said to represent various aspects of The Great Horned Rat's personality while the fifth is the souls of the Council of Thirteen that existed during Nagash's defeat thanks to the Skaven Fellblade that a fused into a singular will. While it may just be me, I feel the reason for these creations is to have a counter point to the five other evil Gods that are playing the End Times. Think about it (info taken from warseer):

Warpseer: Desire to manipulate and control the paths of the future - sounds like Tzeentch, perhaps a counter to him.

Deceiver: Misdirection, sneakiness and deception - possibly Slaanesh?

Corruptor: Embodies the black plague and bubonix spread far and wide by the ratmen of Clan Pestilens. - Screams Nurgle.

Warbringer: Embody the most warlike aspects of the Horned Rat - And here we have the Khorne equivalent.

Verminking: Souls of the Council of Thirteen (Nagash Time) and stitched together into something far greater - A power designed to fight Nagash.

Given that thus far the main threats where the Chaos Gods and Nagash (Elves where too busy fighting themselves to count) it makes sense for the Horned Rat to create weapons to counter those powers to give his children a chance in obtaining the destiny he promised them.

Whether this is what was intended or not doesn't bother me, I just feel that it is a logical explanation for the reasoning behind creating these five monsters.