Topic: Dragon Rampant

[Artobans Ghost]

Thanks to the venerable GP, I am off on another tangent. I did say that I was going to do this with different manufactures but try as I might, the deal gods of the gaming world are making it hard to find Viking or saxons ( the saxons I think I like better). Some good deals then the shipping sucks so I’ll move into this in a slightly different way. My old starter set still had 12 gunners (of which I will use 6) and 12 spearmen hiding out. A perfect 18  pts. The last bunch of swordsmen I bought were the newer kit. 10 never completed and the rest in my empire patchwork quilt. I just couldn’t decide on a standard provincial colour. So 12 swords for 12 pts. Gives me 30 pts and a reduced hero for 6 points - yet another warrior priest. On the antagonist side - all creatures borrowed and otherwise unfinished Deamons. My ral partha trolls will make up a reduced 12 pts, 6 unfinished Deamons will be a reduced 12 pts, 2 rat ogres at 3 pts each and the blue scribes which can’t seem to find a home in T9A lineup. They will be my 6 pt leader. 36 pts in all. Thus begins the temporary  dragon movement till I round up the guys I really want.

[GamesPoet]

The older empire figures are great!  That's where I started with Empire.

Are you into converting?  I took the first 16 spear guys, and swapped 12 of their heads for each figure to look different. If I recall, the handgunners are a bit more difficult to do that with, so be careful if ya go down that route with them.

As for doing a province, what do you have painted already, and what province are you interested in painting currently? I mostly tend to painting Averlanders, Marienburgers (different colors schemes), Wissenlanders (and maybe someday some Solanders), Stirlanders, Tileans (green, purple, and yellow, but maybe red & white too), and Matoreans (orange and blue).

[Artobans Ghost]

Quote GP: and Matoreans (orange and blue).

This sounds appealing!  Suits my colour palate but I know nothing of the Maroreans. I will look for heads in my bits stuff. Hopefully there are some heads rolling about.

[GamesPoet]

I use the blue and orange swordsmen interchangeably for Matoreans (not assigned a color scheme by GW that I'm aware of currently), mercenaries, and a Marienburg merchant family.  Currently they are only primed, painted orange in places, and flesh for the skin, and so more work to do on them.

[Artobans Ghost]

Definite on the blue orange. No heads milling about. Lots of ork heads but I don’t think that will work. Approaching this warband a little differently this time. Decided bases first and I’m out of primer so that helped the direction.
Thinking a paler blue possibly with the ratskin orange. I have both of those colours. Keep forgetting I only need 6 handgunners for this band but looks like I’ll notch it up 6 pts.

[Zygmund]

Splendid choice of minis! My absolute favourites among the Empire rank-and-file. 

You say you don't have spare heads for head swaps. What you could do is carefully remove a couple of the Swordsmen heads and put them on the Pikemen/Handgunners, and then put the removed Pikemen/Handgunner heads back into the shoulders of the Swordsmen. So a real head swap. Would bring you variation.

I admire your energy. So much progress. I must have a dozen similar projects stalled on the shelf and in boxes, but at my pace it will be years to get them done. Long years to come up with new projects... 

-Z

[Artobans Ghost]

Splendid choice of minis! My absolute favourites among the Empire rank-and-file. 

You say you don't have spare heads for head swaps. What you could do is carefully remove a couple of the Swordsmen heads and put them on the Pikemen/Handgunners, and then put the removed Pikemen/Handgunner heads back into the shoulders of the Swordsmen. So a real head swap. Would bring you variation.

I admire your energy. So much progress. I must have a dozen similar projects stalled on the shelf and in boxes, but at my pace it will be years to get them done. Long years to come up with new projects... 

-Z

Thanks Zygmund!
That head swap is a great idea. I have some of these swordsman, 6 ed swordsman and some newer handgunners/crossbowmen that could stand some brain transplants. It’s funny the tunnel vision you can acquire in thinking something is done and untouchable because ‘it’s done’. That will be tonight’s goal and maybe some primer.

[GamesPoet]

My idea was along the same lines as Zygmund, but only using the spearmen heads themselves for the spearmen and obtaining 16 different looking guys.  It is a bunch of head swapping, but it worked for me when I did my original 16 spearmen from the 6th edition starter set, like the ones you're showing us.

[Artobans Ghost]

My idea was along the same lines as Zymund, but only using the spearman heads themselves for the spearmen and obtaining 16 different looking guys.  It is a bunch of head swapping, but it worked for me when I did my original 16 spearmen from the 6th edition starter set, like the ones you're showing us.

Exactly! Thanks GP. The only thought that occurred was a bin of heads to choose from which didn’t exist 😸

[Artobans Ghost]

After some brain salad surgery.....
That was fun and turned out no one has the same head anymore. Lots of aspirin required. Forgot to pick up primer but probably didn’t have enough time anyways.

Heads taken:


Heads given:

[Artobans Ghost]

Got em base coated. Need advice. GP came up with what I think is a splendid colour scheme of orange/blue.  I have 2 oranges - army painter lava and GW ratskin. I like the ratskin personally and I have 2 blues. Fang and fenresian. I’m leaning towards the lighter grey but some input would be great. Getting very ramped about this warband.

[GamesPoet]

Are there two oranges on those figures?

I like the darker blue, the lighter one looks too grey for my taste.  However, orange and grey could work.

[Artobans Ghost]

Are there two oranges on those figures?

I like the darker blue, the lighter one looks too grey for my taste.  However, orange and grey could work.

I only used the ratskin which I prefer. At first I wasn’t sure of the dark but when I woke up this morning I liked it better. I agree GP and some highlighting will go a long way. Details should be fun too.

[Artobans Ghost]

Another question GP! I’m trying to decide what colours for the shields. The rim , field and lion face. For some reason I’m not getting a feeling and having a hard time. The swords are pretty unique so I can run with some differences but the round ones I think should be universal.

[Gankom]

I like the orange and grey myself. The darker blue is almost a bit to dark for my tastes, but maybe with a couple of highlights it wouldn't look quite that dark.

[Artobans Ghost]

I like the orange and grey myself. The darker blue is almost a bit to dark for my tastes, but maybe with a couple of highlights it wouldn't look quite that dark.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Did some highlighting to brighten it a bit. I havnt painted empire in ages and forgot how many tubs of paint you need to go thru. I still need to find some patience with waiting for washes to dry. I always hit them to soon as can be seen with this group that are so ugly I would say even their own mothers couldn’t love them.

[GamesPoet]

Another question GP! I’m trying to decide what colours for the shields. The rim , field and lion face. For some reason I’m not getting a feeling and having a hard time. The swords are pretty unique so I can run with some differences but the round ones I think should be universal.

The shield shown could look good in white with orange and blue ribbon across the front.  That'd require some patience too.

When we're rushing to get a certain look, we might not get it.  Go slow, consider, and then act.

[Artobans Ghost]

I like 👆
The ribbon may be a challenge for sure. Maybe blue rim. But I really like the white orange. Gonna wip something up tonight.

[Xathrodox86]

Always nice to see some more Empire love. I'll be watching this project with keen interest.

[Artobans Ghost]

Won’t let a little thing like my hydro pole being ripped of the house at the beginning of a weekend by 110 km winds stop the progress. Tree down, soffit and roof slightly missing. No word from hydro about repairs. No, the show must go on. I’m not wasting my night peering into the darkness and I don’t feel like reading at the moment when the next tree to come down is a 150’ poplar and that should land  on the other half of the house. What to do? Paint. Flash of the camera hides the led spotlight.

Started the shields.

[Artobans Ghost]

Shields are pretty much done. May add some highlights tomorrow.
Maybe a few more touch ups. Pics bring out some wonderous crap sometimes

[GamesPoet]

Might be good to use a brown wash over the lion heads and then highlight with the original orange.  The wash will flow into things like the eye sockets, and give the shields more overall definition.

[Artobans Ghost]

I have some original brown GW wash as well. Will hit it later today

[GamesPoet]

It could be tricky getting the wash to not flow onto the white.  Go slowly.

[Artobans Ghost]

It could be tricky getting the wash to not flow onto the white.  Go slowly.

No choice but slowly. Everything in the dark and no power. Check out unhappy random for complete details lol.