Silver Tower: Heroes

The Faithfuls

Having satisfied my itch for 40k stuff, I went back to Age of Sigmar and started on my copy of Silver Tower. Right now I can't put together a group of adventurers to face the Gaunt Summoner's labyrinth, so I decided to start with the models I can readily use along my Gilded Hand mercenary army. Since the mercenary Fyreslayer Doomseeker is described as a fanatical crusader I've decided to paint him and the other religious warrior, the Excelsior Warpriest. I don't know why, but there is something pleasing in finding a theme to link two otherwise completely different models! And more, as I have both Duardin and Devoted of Sigmar among my warbands I can start using them straight away!

I'm really glad I waited to start assembling and painting my Silver Tower models, as I'm now able to use the Shattered Dominion bases for them. They really look great! I'm painting the details on the bases to match the Silver Tower tiles, while I'm using a sand colour for the rim and ground to keep them coherent with my other models.

I've painted spots on the Gryph Hound's fur. It was the first time I tried that and with hindsight I could have used a brighter base colour to make the spots pop a bit more. But all in all I'm happy with the result.

In my mind the Excelsior Warpriest must be higher in the ranks of the Devoted and I wanted to show this through the colours of his robes. My Warrior Priest has red and white robes, so I gave the Excelsior blue and red ones instead.

I've tried to replicate the sigmarite runes found on the model's scrolls in the drop caps I've painted on the book. In the close up, they don't look particularly good, but if you look at the model from playing distance they're perfect!

I had already painted the traditional orange hair on my Pirate Slayers and Unforged Witch Hunter, so I wanted to try something different on the Fyreslayer Doomseeker. I checked on Battletome Fyreslayers and found the Greyfyrd colour scheme, with its contrasting black and white crest and glow on the beard, really interesting. But before painting the model I wanted to swap its weapons. I've never liked the way the Runic Iron was sculpted, with the hook facing back. I mean, that hook is meant to smash into the enemy's head. It must have faced forward! By swapping the weapons I put the Iron in a more natural position, as if at the end of a disembowelling swipe.

Swapping the weapons also gave me the opportunity to try and paint the body of the axe as if it is a torch lighting the way through the Silver Tower. That took a couple of attempts, as the first try looked more like the axe was rusted. Again, the source lighting is not perfect in the close ups, but it looks good on the gaming table.

Next, something bestial will emerge from the Labyrinth of Madness.

Season of War Week 3

Might of Monsters

With Adm'rul Kurgan properly beaten and the Blackrock Gate firmly held by the Grudgebrekers, the Rotmoons had vanished from Ghyran. Gudrun had ordered to repair the demage inflicted by the Rotmoons to the outposts in the Blackrock Dale. Then a missive from the Golden Rifles, another mercenary warband Gudrun had crossed path with, reached the duardin captain. The Golden Rifles had clashed with the Rotmoons in the Harrowmark of Shyish. Apparently, they now had gargants fighting with them. A grudge being a grudge, Gudrun decide it was time settle the score with Da Leeva. "Ishmael!" boomed the duardin "Summon Olde Blue Eye! We go hunting orruks, and they've some big fellas with them!"

It took the Grudgebreakers some time to track the Rotmoons in the bleak Harrowmark, but finally they had cornered them in the small village of Wortbad, their lines bolstered by a lumbering and very drunk gargant.

Gudrun, the Stokers, Ishmael and Olde Blue Eyes, its thick shell sticky with rotten algae, formed up on the opposite side of the square held by the orruks.

Gregorius Pecker and the Deck Crew were covering the right flank, hoping to get a good enfilade angle to shot at the gargant.

Ishmael advanced, directing Olde Blue Eyes towards the incoming orruks.

The Stokers advanced into the Rose & Scythe gate.

Another mob of orruks came yelling forward, and the Stokers decided to mount a defence at the Rose & Scythe gate.

Pecker and the Deck Crew, meanwhile, found themselves slowed down by the ghostly inhabitants of Wortbad.

Seeing they would be dealt with piecemeal, Gudrun ordered Ishmael to send Olde Blue Eyes back and slow down the Rotmoons with his lighting bolts.

Yet, it was to no avail. The Rotmoons and their gargant closed in and got stuck onto Olde Blue Eyes.

Olde's chitinous limbs easily dispatched the orruks, but they did little arm to the raging gargant, buying time for the second Rotmoon mob to charge in.

Luckly, Gregorius and the Deck Crew had finally negotiated the haunted streets of Wortbad and joined Ishmael, pouring their fire into the melee.

At a single barked order by Gudrun, signalling out the gargant as a long time enemy of the duardin race, all the Grudgebreaker charged in.

But again, the gargant emerged unscathed and with a sickening crunch slammed his huge club into Olde's shell.

It was getting to a sticky end for the Grudgebreakers and Gudrun thought better to call for a tactical retreat. More drastic measures were needed to deal with that gargant.