Legion of Everblight (6): Seraph and Bayal

This week I went after the second winged beast in the army, the Seraph. I also rounded out the week with Bayal, the hound of Everblight.

After having painted both models, it's easy to see that the Seraph preceeded the Angelius in terms of production date. There are a number of common elements between theme, shape, and texture of the wings, the musculature of the supporting arms, even the double curve of the tail. But everything the Serpah does, the Angelius does better.

This is not to say that this is a bad sculpt, far from it. It's more of an interest to see how the model has evolved over time. You can literally see the thought process, from the less dynamic Seraph to the confidence of the Angelius. This is why it's important for companies like privateer press and games workshop to continually update their ranges. It gives their artists a chance to reflect on the efforts of the past and incorporate them into the work of the future.

On the other side of the spectrum, Bayal is clearly among the newer sculpts. The lean, stalking pose of the model is a perfect fit for the story of one of Everblight's most potent and deadly operatives. From a painters perspective, all of these new sculpts are more difficult to work with. They are constantly bombarding you with odd angles and extraordinary amounts of detail. But unlike other models where I have to create my own challenges, these ones provide the it for me. This is not frustrating but inspiring, which ultimately makes the process more rewarding.

This model serves as a perfect summary of what makes Privateer Press models stand above the competitors; the confidence that we see in these newer works. Privater Press isn't just sticking with the tried and true poses that have been used for the past 20 years. They're exploring new territory, and seeing models like Bayal is a constant reminder not only of what Privateer is doing right, but what many in the industry should be doing to keep up.

Next week we're wrapping things up with the Blackfrost shard. The end is in sight!

James Draw: Ruff & Tumble

Every week I'll be bringing you a new illustrated piece inspired by some of my favorite games. This week we've got a poster advertising the services of a freelance ork and gretchin team. Choppas for sale.

Legion of Everblight (5): Plastic Warbeast and Kallus

This week I tackled Kallus, a warcaster from the domination expansion, as well as the plastic heavy warbeast kit, magnetized to be any of the three builds. 

Kallus is a bit of an outlayer from several angles. First off, up until this point every warcaster in the legion has been female, ignoring Thagrosh, who is more of a demigod nowadays. Kallus is also a construct, more of a figment of the dragon's imagination than anything else. But from a hobby standpoint, this model is very different.  

It isn't so much that Kallus is different from Privateer Press as he is similar to Games Workshop. If you look at all the other models in the range, you will notice a brutal efficiency to units as a whole. Models just aren't sculpted with superfluous offerings in Hordes. If the sculptor decided to include a specific item in the casting process, you know there was a reason. Case in point: Saeryn, a warrior who fights by throwing knives. Naturally, she is sculpted with plenty of extra blades attached.

Kallus on the other hand is an exercise in the superfluous. His shoulder pads could double as a chest armor, and his belt is strewn with chains and hooks, and for some reason he's got a tabard. Apparently he need something to trip him up mid-fight. Yeah, it looks cool, but so do the other warcasters, all of whom have a very utilitarian angle to their wargear. Even the backstory is highly reminiscent of Games Workshop. After all, anyone who knows Lucius will recognize the story of a heavy armor, sword wielding killer who is never truly defeated...

Turning my attention to the rava-scyth-nivean, I set to work incoporating yet another warbeast into the band.

It was nice to work with another plastic model, and the detail on the armor plates really made this sculpt stand out. It was rewarding to see all the variants come together, knowing the work would pay off many times over due to it's increased flexibility. If I were building a force, I would definitely pursue this option. By keeping the conversions straightforward and easy to swap out, Privateer Press has given a huge gift to the players in the form of reusable models.

Next week we've got a Seraphim lined up, as well as Bayal, a powerful assassin.

Legion of Everblight (4): Shepherd and Angelius

This week, something wicked this way comes.

Not to say the past few weeks have not been equally so, but there is something downright sinister about the Angelius. Maybe it's the pose, maybe it's the name, maybe the combination of the two. Whatever it is, these six winged beasts give fire to the appearance of the army. There is something truly striking about this model in comparison to even other warbeasts. 

The shepherd by contrast is an excellent example of how to turn an ordinary concept into an extraordinary sculpt. The shepherds are defined in the Everblight army book as being outcasts, not close enough to other members of the race to be fully integrated, but clearly not as powerful as the warlocks who conjure full warbeasts. There is a certain desolation to the description in the book, which carries through in the sculpt. The shepherd is efficient, alien in their way, yet distinctly part of the force as a whole. 

Next week we press on with a plastic and magnetized Carnivean as well as Kallus, the first and only male Nyss warcaster in the entire army. 

Legion of Everblight (3): Deathstalkers and Forsaken

This week we're back with more of the almost-evil Legion of Everblight. Why are they almost evil? Because everything is relative, and anything that exists in the same world as Cryx has to be considered at least a little bit good, even if by virtue of the fact solely that they are not Cryx.

No matter how you spin it, this week saw the completion of two deathstalkers and two forsaken.

Micro-Lesson: Painting duplicates

There are a couple really good reasons to paint duplicates molds when you're working your way through an army.

First and foremost, you're saving time. Swapping back and forth to repaint the same section takes less time in prep and execution. You also have a chance to practice as you go along, increasing your efficiency with every model beyond the first. More practice also means less mistakes; another big time saver. Finally, if you are mixing any custom colors, this is an absolute must. You'll find that you get more finished models return in exchange for time spent at the table; something we all covet. 

Another advantage to taking these models 2+ at a time is that you're saving resources. Paint isn't cheap, especially now that GW has decided we all need to re-buy our entire collections. Any time you draw paint from the bottle, it's in your best interest to use as much of what you took as possible. Having more models to catch the extra pigment means less paint lost to the water cup.

Thankfully in my situation I only had a single duplicate to deal with. With two to four models, it's easy to maximise the benefits of repetition without risking burnout. 

Burnout is a term that will be familiar to any player who has assembled a force of Orks, Imperial Guard, Tyranids, or Vampire Counts. As sad as it makes some of us, we aren't machines. Painting the same helmet on the same Cadian Shocktrooper in the same pose for the 47th time is enough to move most to tears of boredom and frustration. 

Be sure to keep things manageable if you're taking on a swarm. What number this boils down to depends on the individual painter. Some have a legendary tolerance for repetition, while others squirm at the prospect of more than five. 

But if five is your number, let it be your number. IG players still have officers and heavy weapon teams to break things up, Orks have nobs, Vampire Counts have... well Vampire Counts. The point is to paint strategically. Save some special models for further down the road, not only as a reward, but as a good model to take advantage of once you've had all that practice painting your army colors.

Next up, we grab a Shepherd and the mighty Angelius!