Skaven Rising...

o/

My Skaven haven't made an appearance on the blog since February of 2016, and outside of Mordheim (the game which spawned my little army) they've never seen battle on the table top. Well, this past Saturday that all changed when they made their Olde Hammer battlefield debut! That's right, none of that AoS crap! Instead we went old school with Warhammer Fantasy Battle's 8th edition. 

Bob was amused by the Skaven's request to 'say cheese!'.

As far as I can tell (by scrolling thru the archives of this blog), the last time I played a game of WHFB was in May of 2013 pitting my (now defunct) Stirlander army vs. Bob's Nordlanders. So...needless to say my grasp of the rules was a bit...rusty. This was only magnified by fielding an army I've never used before. Luckily Bob is pretty well up to speed after his recent bout vs. Neverness.

Waaaay too clean, no wonder my Stirlanders and now Skaven see them as enemies...

Recently, My Beloved Wolfy had expressed interest in giving WHFB a try to Bob who was all too happy to oblige in teaching her the game. However she didn't want to go in totally blind and asked if I would team up for her first game. Well of course I would!

My army is relatively small by Skaven standards containing a mere 80ish models and clocking in at 1,000 points. A lord, 3 heroes, 2 regiments of clanrats, 1 of slaves, and lastly 2 poison wind mortar weapon teams. 

The slaves have already been slaughtered by this point.

As for thoughts on their initial run, the mortars were great halving 2 of Bob's regiments and giving severe respiratory distress to the remaining survivors (I'm confident they all died shortly after the battle's end). As is typical of any war machine, one blew up taking 4 rats out of a nearby regiment, but the Skaven care little for casualties.

Wounds from a well placed poison wind  mortar round.
Neverness, this is how you are supposed to roll dice!

My Lord's regiment freight-trained thru a regiment and its detachment cowering to the rear before finally ending up well out of position at game's end. My other, characterless clanrat regiment was predictably mediocre and fled following their charge, being run down in exchange for only a few casualties. 

The slaves are kinda worthless as anything other than a distraction, though amusingly they inflicted more casualties as the fled than they did in combat! Our warped lightning spewing wizard did well, whereas the engineer equipped with the warpmusket was more or less useless. He'll serve as a wizard next go round instead as a free roaming riflerat.

Everyone's positions at game's end.

Whilst we did lose, it was a fun time and Wolfy found the game intriguing. Future purchases for the army aren't planned for at this point but...I do have about 60 or so rats that still need assembly. So that ought to keep me entertained till I can restock some paints from the FLGS (during regular store hours) and return to my Vanquisher.

Clan Shakkyllz

Yup, that's my Skaven Warlord clan. As readers of this blog will already know, I enjoy making up fluff for my armies, random characters, etc.,  even those that never see the light of day like my Skaven (would that be a pun?). I also wanted to include something to go along with the fact that the army morphed out of a Mordheim warband.

lol, anyways here it is:

 Warlord clans, especially the smaller ones rise and fall with alarming frequency. Often they survive only as long as their leaders do, and unless they can carve out their own unique niche in Skaven society, there is little to hold the smaller clans together. The somewhat mercantile based Clan Shakkyllz however, has managed to survive its initial teething pains and is on its way towards establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. The clan coalesced out of the small and varied warbands that infested the ruined Empire city of Mordheim. Following its rise in power, the clan has since declared its dominion over all of the twisted warrens beneath the ruined city.

Clan Shakkyllz specializes in slave trading. Skaven, either captured from rival clans or simply born into slavery are a dime a dozen and worth even less. However Man-things, Dwarf-things, Ork/Goblin-things, etc., who are taken as slaves can be worth a small fortune, especially if taken in quantity. Like most Skaven, Clan Shakkyllz conceals it's presence from Mordheim's surface dwellers. That way, a steady (and varied) crop of slave stock willingly walks right into their grasp without any need to go and search them out. Wisely (and while the surface dwellers themselves are unaware of it), a small percentage of these warbands are allowed to thrive within Mordheim. In doing so, they act as a lure to attract others into the Skaven's lair. When the clan launches its night time slaving raids, the targeted warbands, whilst considered to be armed and dangerous by their own kind, are helpless when faced with the military might of the Skaven clan. 

Captives are always preferable, though any victims whom are too injured to survive, or are killed outright will still be collected to help keep the clan fed. The choicest bodies go to the clan leaders, with those of lesser vitality going to those on down the line accordingly, leaving those at the bottom to fight for mere scraps of flesh. Captives-turned-slaves must forage for their own rations, which often turns out to be the weakest of their own. Usually those concealing light wounds inflicted during capture, who have started to weaken from their injuries. Trapped in the slave pens these unfortunate individuals are easy prey for the desperate and hungry. Ironically, this method of feeding, means the slaves often eat better than the lowest 'free' ranks of the clan's population.

The plight of the newly taken slaves, facing the prospect of having to kill and eat their former comrades-in-arms, just to survive amuses the Clan's slavers to no end. The Clan's leadership have even been known to attend the entertaining spectacle of these cannibalistic slave killings when the horror of familial ties amongst the doomed is involved. Even if only to watch the desperate and pitiful attempts to save their family members from the other hungry slaves.

Casualties however are kept to a minimum and, starvation of the clan's wares is strictly forbidden! Even when particularly strong-willed slaves refuse to eat, regardless of whether its their brethren on the menu not. In such situations, a Skaven slave (being of the least worth) will be executed (or just injured, for added amusement) before all other species in order to feed the remaining captives. The continued refusal to eat results in brutal collective punishments until the slaves nourish themselves appropriately from the dead and dying which have been provided to feed them. 

Amusing little guys...

Due to the exceptional quality and variety of slave types, other clans have started to engage in a steady trade Clan Shakkyllz. On occasion, Shakkyllz will trade their 'exotic' slave breeds with other clans who have locally unavailable offerings. It was through such a trade that the clan came into possession of a sizable population of Gnoblars, from the far off Ore Kingdoms. Whilst initially quite taken with the strange little creatures, in hindsight the Clan leadership determined that the Gnoblars were an exceptionally a bad investment. All the more so as the last of their Elven stock was exchanged for the little runts. Condemnation was swift and the chieftain who brokered the deal soon found himself locked within the slave pens he used to call his own! Never surviving to reach the auction block, he quickly fell prey to his former charges and their bloody acts of retribution!

When trading is slow, the Clan will periodically send slave caravans out to seek new buyers. They are wiling to sell to most any clan with Clans Moulder, Skyre and their Thrall Clans being the most preferable. However transactions, or even mere contact with Clan Pestilens or their thrall associates is harshly forbidden! The Plague priests and their followers are bad for business, and have earned the strong enmity of Clan Shakkyllz.  Primarily as their contagions easily infect the weakened constitutions of the slave stock, killing them quickly and robbing the Shakkyllz of it's warpstone profits.

A curious side effect of this, is that any Skaven amongst the clan's number who is accused of an interest in the Pestiliens ideology is immediately tossed into the slave pens to keep the rest of the  troops in line. Any actual truth of such accusations is not required, and invariably fabricated. The sole exception being if the accused is of a higher rank than his accuser. Without convincing evidence, the accuser will quickly find his life bleeding out on the blades of his intended victim. That said, to be caught up in such a trial (for lack of a better term) hints at weakness. Weakness is the most fatal of flaws and will usually hasten the accused's downfall by other methods. Amongst the lower ranks of the Clan's stereotypically backstabbing society, Pestilens affiliation is seen as just another way to be rid of a rival. Wary clan enforcers will often cast the 'tainted' accusers into the slave pens as well to keep the accusations from getting out of hand. These falsely accusing and accused slaves are always the first to die when slave rations run short as they are unlikely to infect the others, and are always in steady supply. 

One rising concern for Clan Shakkyllz are the 'Dead-things' that have migrated from Sylvania and taken root in Mordheim. These Dead-things often prove most difficult for Shakkyllz to eliminate. Especially as they force the clan to expend its limited resources for little to no benefit in return. You can't enslave what is already dead, and the few, pathetic living souls amongst their number are often in too poor of shape to survive long under the Skaven's lash, nor provide much in the way of adequate nourishment (even to the slave stock). Worse yet, many of the Warbands of Mordheim will flee the city if faced with the undead. This has resulted in an ironic twist, as the Dead-things are considered as little more than mere vermin to be exterminated in the eyes of the Clan.

Perhaps fancifully, Clan Shakkyllz aspires to be a Great Clan with its own seat on the Council of Thirteen. Though its doubtful that this goal will ever reach fruition. As with al minor clans, the threat of being sundered from within or by another, more powerful Warlord Clan, is omnipresent. In its favor, Clan Shakkyllz has already survived a vicious cycle of successions amongst its leadership, some of which have strongly tested the clan's cohesion. Currently, the Clan's power base seems to have stabilized, leaving the clan to itself, with the task of consolidating it's hold on the ruins beneath Mordheim. In time Mordheim's under-city may not only become another great bastion of the Skaven, but potentially the bloody and brutal hub of the Under-Empire's slave trade…

My Skaven Warlord's War litter is complete!

It took quite awhile, but I'm really pleased with how it came out in the long run! Of course the plasticard 'wings' that the Storm Vermin stand on, mean this will be a beast to get ranked up. Having just bought a box o' Storm Vermin, I'll have to specially position the two that will be standing beside of it.

 

I tried to add in some little details for some extra character. Such as the two little rodents running underneath. Also this being a former Orc Chariot, a bloody patch of hide, flayed from the carcass of one of it's former occupants was nailed to the side, in recognition of its generous donation...

 

Not that I have another Skaven Lord to ride in here but just in case, the rider is removable. The small piece across the back holds in the base, yet allows for the easy removal of the character. Best of all its not really noticeable.

I've also been working on the fluff for my Skaven Warlord clan, but I'll save that for Monday's post.

My Struggles with Nurgle...

o/

In my last post I commented on how Screech was under the weather and acted as the 'Bugle of Nurgle' to help rally Rob's Plague marines. Well, it seems he also spread contagion via that same method and I've been slogging thru Nurgle's attentions myself this week. I'm hopefully on the downward end of the affliction, after concocting a witch's brew of dayquil, nyquil, and some anti-biotics left over from last spring. As such, my hobbying has been limited as I haven't been in much the mood to play with my toys. There was some minor progress though.

First up, I pinned and repaired the icon atop the mast of Da' Grot Spee yesterday. Whilst the Crimson Fists rhino-turned-looted wagon is regarded as my best model, Da' Grot Spee is the hands down favorite model out of my ENTIRE gaming collection! Thusly repaired, it will leave drydock tomorrow as part of a large, 500 point chunk of Da' Eleet Grot Mountin Duvishun to fight alongside the WAAAAUGH!!! of Neverness.  We will be fighting the Harbinger of Nurgle himself, Screech and (presumably) his 'Thousand Sons (of Bitches)'. I'm sure one of us (if not both) will be taking photos for a bat. rep. blog post in the future.

Last night, I intended to assemble more Skaven slaves...initially. However on reaching into the box o' bitz, the first baggie I randomly grabbed had a plague priest in it. Yeah, fuck you Nurgle. So I painted a bit more on my War Litter instead.

Note the Ork's hide on the left side. No doubt the chariot's prior owners didn't go quietly...

As you can see the ink on it is still quite wet, and only the first layer. Will go over it again with Devlin Mud after I paint the Stormvermin, then go back and dry-brush and really dirty the thing up. Skaven lends itself well to grime, and my Skaven Lord's ride will be no exception!

Skaven War litter WIP

o/

In perusing the Skaven codex (and before I had that, 4chan) I came to like the idea of a war litter to carry my Skaven Lord into battle. On a google search, I found one right on GW's website that was to my liking and used that as a basis for my own war litter. Thus I picked up the Stormvermin bitz and most of an Orc chariot via ebay, and Neverness generously donated a pair of wheels to my cause (prices for those on ebay are ridiculous), and here it is thus far:

As you can see, I started base coating it last night. Looks like they're making it out of scrap wood scavenged from all over...

My Lord riding inside, though I have more characters than I can reasonably fit into a list, so I'll have options on who will be riding this to war.

I had to add 'wings' to the 40mm base for the storm vermin, which ought to add to the usual ranking up issues the game invariably creates...

Having perused the army book for a bit now I made up a list of my current forces, and they clocked in at 1250 points which is what I was aiming for. I could raise it higher, but like my Stirlanders, I would just be adding characters to the list which isn't too appealing. About the only thing I really want right now is Stormvermin, and maybe some jezzails...but that's it. In adding those I can fold the clanrats with hand weapons into the slaves which will free up some points to maybe only raise the army total up to 1500 or so.

However for now, there will be no more purchases for the army (movement trays, magnetic sheeting and washers aside), rather I just need to continue on with the assembly of my horde.

More meat for the grinder..

o/

I've not spent too much time on minis this week...or at least on anything exciting. Gluing dozens more washers to dozens more bases for my Skaven army is neither noteworthy, nor photogenic.  That said, I did run out of washers last night and so started assembling some of my slave regiment.

These pathetic fools never should have allowed themselves to be taken alive...

My original intent was to bolster the unit's numbers with my poor Stirlanders, but now I think I'll just mix my clanrats with hand weapons and shields into this unit instead. On reading the Skaven army book (now that I have one), it seems the slave units are made more of rats than anything else. In doing that, I'll have about 60ish slaves, which, with hand weapons and shields (the majority will anyways, and I'll go with that despite the variety of weaponry seen here). That horde will clock in at a mere 150 points!

lol, at that rate this army will never amass enough troops to be fieldable...

The Vermintide continues...

o/

Whilst I feel like I've been on a spending spree here of late, my out of pocket expense hasn't been too bad. Virtually all of my purchases were either financed by the sale of something else via ebay (where these minis were also bought) or else from a small, and unexpected bonus I got at work. Thus the influx of Skaven has had minimal if any effect on my already (and always) depleted checking account. That said, purchases will prettymuch grind to halt as I have a bucket load to paint, and a short attention span. Also I just got a half priced but still new Skaven army book, also from ebay that came w/o an offsetting sale. Thus the above rationalization is already moot I guess. :-/

Anyways...

First up, my BSB:

I think there is a banner of Clan Superiority, seems an appropriate chioce considering this banner was taken from the Empire!

Yes he's just a Stormvermin with a clanrat flag, but as stated before, the Stormvermin standard bitz were pricey, whereas this army is being done on the cheap. Speaking of that standard, it looks like its been dropped and trampled on the ground, drug through the mud, and then taken to the under empire via a hole in the ground. Fitting for a Skaven standard. Beneath all that grime though, you can still make out the blue and yellow of Bob's Nordland army...

That fancy shield has 'unit champion' written all over it. Not sure which unit though...

Then there are a few more Clanrats that I painted last weekend, now with washers on their bases. Lost count of how many washers I glued to skaven bases this week...

These lesser races shall be herded to their doom!

Oh, and the Slave regiment has arrived!

Vermintide rising...

o/

I didn't get in any gaming this past weekend. However, as I was dog sitting for my grandparents I was able to get in a good bit of hobby time (all hail the huge fenced in yard for the dogs to run around in!). I painted a few more Skaven, though they need to be based, matte and 'ard coated around the eyes and slobbery parts..., etc., so will save those for Thursday.

Instead I'll show you the 40ish rats I assembled:

Virtually all are Island of Blood minis, which aside from already attached shields, are no different than the regular clanrat minis.

First up the Clanrat spear regiment. I have enough to field either 2 smallish regiments, of about 25, or else one monster regiment of about 50. Not sure which would be better...

Next I have the clanrats with hand weapons. I have another 10 or so from my Mordheim warband to add to this bunch as well.

I have enough of the little rats like the one on his base, to make a rat swarm as well.

Then I have a packmaster to lord over the 'not-so-giant' rats, also from my Mordheim warband. As mediocre as the rats are in that game, I'm not expecting much from this guy.

As you can see, reinforcements are arriving all the time! Sale of a portion of the Stirland army financed this bunch, whereas a small bonus paid for my slave regiment. The Slaves consist of a smorgasbord of races, numbering 25 models. Only one human (a hapless Bretonian squire) is in that bunch, as I figure I can bolster the unit as needed with Stirlanders who foolishly allowed themselves to be taken alive!

I figure that ought to give me between 750-1000 points or so. Really need a army book at this point. I'd like to add Stormvermin, but having more than enough to paint right now, they can wait. Also, weapons teams aside (and maybe some jezzails if I can find some that are reasonably priced and not finecast) I don't plan on getting any of the giant warmachines (despite 1d4chan screaming DOOMWHEEL all the time). All of the WHFB stories I've read talk of the skaven appearing on the surface from small tunnels that are easily collapsed, or hidden. So just where the massive warmachines exit the under empire is something of a mystery to me.

Anyways, I'll finish up the paint jobs from this weekend for my next post. Aside from that I'm going to Lowes tonight to buy another bucket load of washers for their bases. I ran out of them while assembling the above rats the other night.

I guess Stirland has a rodent problem...

Actually Stirland has a lot of problems, this one will just be added to the list, lol.

I've made a few changes to my WHFB Stirland army, namely in the removal of a few units. Originally I had only wanted about a 1k point list, but once I started Greatswords, I 'needed' more to make them effective. Which meant a bigger army, cause they have a high point cost (for a foot slogging human). Plus I wanted a cannon, which meant an even bigger army to fit both units in with the army percentages (such a stupid system of army building). Soon my 1k army damn near hit 2k before I hit the breaks on it.

WHFB has taken a back seat here locally, as most games other than 40k do periodically. Looking at my little horde of Stirlanders, I really just wanted that 1k list, or rather about 1250 points just to have a little bit of variety. Thus, some units are hitting the auction block. I sold the Greatswords to Bob, and my FAILcast captain, spearmen, and archers (the latter have failed to kill ANYTHING in all of their games) will go to ebay sometime this week.

Now, before Neverness starts lamenting that I'm selling my Empire army before he finishes his Orc regiment (not holding my breath for the rest of the army...), remember that rodent problem I mentioned? Well...

Because I don't already have enough to paint...

Like my Stirland army, Mordheim is indeed a gateway drug as I've wanted a Skaven army for quite sometime, despite my public denials to the contrary. Last week was a good week on ebay (selling wise), and so I picked up 2 island of blood skaven starter regiments before transferring the rest of the funds to my checking account. Half have spears, the others hand weapons and shields. Hopefully this week I'll add the same amount to bump them up to blocks of 40-50 after adding in the Mordheim minis. They will be the core of my army. After that, I'll need an army book to see just what I have and where to go from there to reach the 1k mark, where again, I intend to stop.

Characters I already have in spades thanks to my Mordheim warband. The exception to that being a BSB which I picked up for dirt cheap on ebay, along with a pack master for all of my 'not-so-giant rats'. Right now, my warlord and BSB are Stormvermin. I love those minis but don't have the $100 needed to buy 2 boxes worth for a block of 40 (the Skaven standard it seems). Likewise, the BSB's flag is kinda sad, but till I get an actual Stormvermin standard bearer (those bits were kinda pricey) he'll have to do. Not too inspiring of a BSB, but the Skaven lead thru fear and intimidation so it is no matter. He has decent armor AND a shield, so it is easy to see that he is actually a rat of some worth!

These will have to wait a bit to see some paint/assembly, as we're moving my GF into my/our house this week. Hopefully the dust will settle enough next week for me to paint up a few or something.