WIP Beastmen Blog - Kulgor's Herd

Howdy! I finally discovered how to take semi-decent pictures with my camera, though I'm still learning so if you have any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it.

This blog will serve as a record of progress for rebuilding my beast army. I have few pictures to start with, but should be able to update frequently. Actually, my camera batteries died otherwise I'd have more to upload now! These are all WIPs, though like above, any advice or critiques would be gladly appreciated. Anywho...

This is my beast-magic shaman. I have a few bits in mail order coming in soon. I plan to finish him with a crow perching on his arm. Still more GS work to be done as well.





This is my chariot. My first effort with balsa wood. I'll likely start over now that I have a better idea of what I want. This was a good experiment though.



And last is my WIP scratchbuilt minotaur. He's made using super-sculpey which is really a great medium to work with, very forgiving and easy to alter; even when cooked.








That's it for now. Even though I don't play Ogres, I'm posting here because a lot of my inspiration comes from the great blogs on this site.

Thanks.

Wow, a great looking start to a blog. the minotaur really looks promising, is he biggr than the GW sculpts? I really like the shaman as well, great sculpting work on him. Are you planning on following a particular chaos god or running undivided with the force?

Thanks
corai

Wow, a great looking start to a blog. the minotaur really looks promising, is he biggr than the GW sculpts? I really like the shaman as well, great sculpting work on him. Are you planning on following a particular chaos god or running undivided with the force?

Thanks
corai

Yeah, he is my first attempt at a miniature sculpt, so I overestimated the size. He's quite a bit larger, maybe a head and a half. I'll continue the project, if it's successful I'll probably keep him around as a Doombull and try some at a smaller scale. I tried converting some of the metal minotaurs, but the style of them just doesn't jive with me. When I think minotaur, I think a large, hulking beast, not something with a disproportioned head and floppy feet.

The army will be undivided, though I plan to use Screamers utilizing the Khemri Carrion models. I'd incorporate furies, but can't think of a beastly conversion. My only thought would be to us 40k Kroot Hounds with wings.

Thanks for the input.

I'm mainly worried about the painting, I suck at painting about as much as I do actually playing the game, heh.

That looks like a good start, I'll be following this blog, as I'm building up my BoC army as well.

Good luck!

All sounds great.

How about Plastic gors with wings added as furies? You could convert them to be purched (sp?) on bits of scenery to give them more of a gargoyley look if needed

Thanks
Corai

Very nice stuff. I cant wait to see that mino finished. The shaman looks top notch as well. Great work all around.

cheers,Gorg

For Furies, why not use Harpies with GS horns and fur?
Also, I love the Shaman. That GS work is superb!

I'm not a fan of the harpy or fury models, unfortunately and converted daemonettes don't fit with my army either. But gargoyles sound like a terrific idea. For fluff, maybe my shamans binds minor daemons in the bodies of the stone statues of the towns and villages they raid? This would explain the daemonic special ability as well. I'll probably shy away from gors with wings though, and try and find suitable bird/daemonlike models that I could convert and use. It's an idea!

I got a few more pictures taken earlier today, again, any critiques, advice or comments are more than welcome.

First is my Beastlord, Kulgor. The model is great so I didn't want to do much to it, I added some skulls hanging on the opposite end of it, a long goatee and the horns jutting out of his waist. When I get my bits in, I plan to add some gore to him and maybe a few pieces from wood elves too.







This is a WIP Bestigor. He was made to be mounted on a chariot, but if possible, I'd like to do a regiment of them. I'm not sure I like the chain mail effect, but again, it was a good experiment.
 




I tweaked my sculpt a bit as well. He's a little large ( ) but you get a good idea of what motion I am going with him.







Thanks

TBH the chainmial looks a little like leather padded armour at the moment. It still looks cool, just not realy like chainmail. I love the minor additions youve made to the beastlord model, and the base really sets it off!

Have you seen the bestigor conversions using chaos warriors as the abse for heavy armour?

Thanks
Corai

TBH the chainmial looks a little like leather padded armour at the moment. It still looks cool, just not realy like chainmail. I love the minor additions youve made to the beastlord model, and the base really sets it off!

Have you seen the bestigor conversions using chaos warriors as the abse for heavy armour?

Thanks
Corai

You're right, it just doesn't *feel* like chain mail.

I've seen those conversions, but somehow they just feel too... clean? for beastmen. I prefer the long chainmail, slightly plated look of the bestigors seen in the art in the book. Just personal preference though.

Edit - Looking at the Beastlord I was thinking about removing the chainmail and cloth from the upper torso and sculpting a bare chest, what do you think?

Very nice work again. I really like it all. As said it soesn't look like chainmail but it looks like a really cool leather. How'd you do it? The mino is looking sweet and has a really  nice pose so far. If he's too big for a mino just use him as a doombull.

cheers,gorg

It was actually just an experiment after not liking the original chain mail I put on the figure. I just used the texture on the handle of my pin vice.

One thing about posting these pictures, it sure does make a model's flaws rather blinding, doesn't it?

Thanks for all the input.

One thing about posting these pictures, it sure does make a model's flaws rather blinding, doesn't it?

I think you have to keep a sort of perspective. We can't all be golden daemon painters who's works can be photoed at 400% and still lok flawless!

Thanks
Corai

i might use the pin vice handle technique for my pestigor! I really like the brayshaman and will have to "borrow" your ideas 

Nice GS work on the Shaman! Really like him.

I like the look of the chainmail, but don't think it really suits it. Why not use a pin to put in rows of "links"?

You're into self-sculpting, eh? I'm starting my first foray into that too.
Oh, and I say go for sculpting a chest on the Lord!

Vincenti

Nice GS work on the Shaman! Really like him.

I like the look of the chainmail, but don't think it really suits it. Why not use a pin to put in rows of "links"?

You're into self-sculpting, eh? I'm starting my first foray into that too.
Oh, and I say go for sculpting a chest on the Lord!

Vincenti

Thanks for the input!

About the chainmail/studded leather, I was just trying to find a way to make the entire process go easier. GS is rather easy to remove so I plan to start over again.

Yeah,though this is my first time attempting sculpting on a miniature or on a miniature scale Right now it's a lot of experimenting and learning the materials. I've never really done fantasy weaponry/armor before so that is all completely new to me as well.

I have so bits from the Orc-hero plastic coming in, there is an awesome chest piece with a wolf pelt on it so I may wait for that to come in before I start the tedious task of chipping away at pewter.

Edit - All that said, what are people's favored materials and online sellers? I'd like to get my hands on some plasticard, what are good dimensions and sizes? Also Brown Stuff, I've heard it's better for edges and spikey and is generally stronger than GS, what sites do you guys prefer to purchase them from?

No problem, my man. Isn't sculpting stuff just wicked?

I know what you mean about the armor. It looks good, it was a good idea to give it a try.

I know that a couple Strongholdians purchase supplies from thewarstore.com, but I never have - I don't get stuff off the internet though. Check it out, it's probably very good.

Plasticard - I'm not sure the exact dimensions of ones that I currently use, but I believe the most versatile is 2mm. 1mm is really thin, and anything thicker is just huge. I think Barabas posted a GW Article Archive in the Halfling Cookbook, and in there is GW's article on plasticard. They'll tell you everything you know.

Brown stuff sets harder, and is much easier to get hard edges from than GS, which is better for less rigid, organic shapes. You can combine the two for a little more plyability from Brown stuff or more sharpness in GS.

Vincenti

Thanks for the reply Vincenti

Not much to update as I moved recently. I hope to have my Warhammer stuff unpacked by tomorrow. I'm itching to get back to work on my models. At the risk of not-so-pointless post, I'd figure I'd throw up my army list I'm working on right now.

Beastlord: 200
Great Weapon, Heavy Armor, Shield
Pelt of the Dark Young
The Dark Heart
Gaze of the Gods

Bray-Shaman: 166
Level 2 Upgrade
Braystaff
2x Dispel Scroll

Bray-Shaman: 160
Level 2 Upgrade
Staff of Darkoth
Power Stone


8/14 Beast Herd w/ FC: 147

7/5 Beast Herd w/ Musician, Foe-Render: 94

7/5 Beast Herd w/ Musician, Foe-Render: 94

7/5 Beast Herd w/ Musician, Foe-Render: 94

5x Warhounds of Chaos: 30

5x Warhounds of Chaos: 30

Tuskgor Chariot: 85

Tuskgor Chariot: 85

5x Centigor w/ Shields, Throwing Axes, Musician: 124

5x Centigor w/ Shields, Throwing Axes, Musician: 124

4x Minotaur w/ Great Weapons: 240

4x Minotaur w/ Great Weapons: 240

2x Spawn of Chaos: 120

Chaos Giant w/ Mutant Monstrosity: 225


Total Models: 94
Power Dice: 6 + Power Stone
Dispel Dice: 4 + 2x Dispel Scroll
Total Points: 2279 (29 over from target)

Plenty of ambush, support units and hard hitters. I need to drop 29 points from it somehow, but I'm at a loss. The most obvious ones would be the Mutant Monstrosity upgrade, or a scroll or the throwing axes from the Centigors. I'm reluctant to do any of those things though as a 5+ armor save on the Giant is rather handy against bow/skink fire, scrolls of both types are rather invaluable and I like having a shooting phase of some sort and the axes help protect the Centigors and allow them to harass enemy units better.

For my Beastlord, I chose the Pelt primarily for the MR (1) that will hopefully help protect the herd from panicking spells (Braingobbler anyone?), and the Dark Heart to help offset the charge restrictions of the herd.

And ideas? What do you think of the list? How would you respond if you saw it deploying across from you?

Thanks.

Thats a very solid list. You have a little of everything, your ambush units will tie up enemy units nicely until you get your hitters in. You have some magic and magic defense as well.

I would drop the axes. I too tried to take those last week, but needed points and dropped them, I figured it wasnt enough of a shooting phase that it would hurt to lose it, and it really didn't. The Centigor unit ended up crushing through some stuff on their own anyway. Plus, with the chance to go Stupid, the axes may never really come into play anyway.

But other than that, if I saw your army across the table, I would LOL, but only because mine would look so similar!!

nice minis, what did you use for the chainmail it looks to me as lots of studs imprinted on it?

elvenmagi: I used the grip from my pin vice. As has been said, it doesn't look like chainmail but if you are going for studded leather then it's perfect.

Small update. I haven't had as much time to work on the beasts as I would have liked too, but I should get a day off soon...

Here's two Shaman. Both pretty much done, though if you have any critiques I'd love to hear them.





Here's my third Shaman, converted from the Gorthor model. I hacked off part of the head and added a portiono of a new Gor head to it, also his feet which I plan on resculpting. I'm not sure what to put in his other hand. Axe? Fireball?



Here's my first 5 centigors. Still plenty of GS work to do on them.



Whatcha think?

I really like the first shaman.. the smal cloak on him looks perfect.. great job.. will comment more when I see the centigors finished though..

the other shamans.. they are good but the first one takes the cake.. the big shaman.. should probably have a weapon.. axe, sword, whichever..

keep it up mate

Cheers
Gris

Some of your conversions are close to genious!
I think that you should do something to the first shaman's staff though. It's far better than most plastic shamans, but the totem-banner top as a magical staff has been done to death, and it's way too big for a staff and doesn't even look magical. Please note that it's still screaming cool, but another staff would make it even cooler. Maybe a branch-claw from the dryad sprue holding some kind of orb, or a goat skull from the skeleton sprue?

For gorthor, you could take a hand from the zombie sprue, and make it flaming.

Thanks

 - Kyte

I like the first and third Shamen. However, the 2nd does look a bit like he's been doped.

Awesome, thanks for the input guys. I think I've given up on the Gorthor model, I've tried 3-4 different conversions (seriously) and they just don't turn out well. I've forfeited it in favor of a metal shaman which I'll post pictures off later.

Kyte: I took your suggestion to heart and modified the staff, and tweaked the second one slightly too.

Ghworg: Doped?

I have a new goal. I plan to assemble, convert and paint my army in small increments. Hopefully this will prevent me from stopping and starting too many projects at once. Though, I've yet to decide what those increments will be

Another quick update, just to show the changes on the Shaman and the progress on my Beastlord (he's about 60% done).

great GS work on the beastlord, it's looks like its rippling with evilness!

thakns
Corai

Ghworg: Doped?

Yeah, nothing bad. Its just that he looks like a Hippy skipping through the fields.