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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: ErikB on June 12, 2018, 11:29:00 PM

Title: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 12, 2018, 11:29:00 PM: I am wondering what people think of these minis?

For a while I found them to be really silly looking but then I started to appreciate them. Makes me wonder about how open to new ideas and new ways of seeing things I am in general.

They drybrush and layer really well and the size of the text on the streamers is great for using a wash to shade. They're really easy to paint if you want a basic color scheme.

Does anyone know what the decals on the shoulders represent, though?
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Blasphemia Blackwood on June 13, 2018, 08:59:32 AM: Stormcast Eternals were designed to be easy to paint, and are basically the fantasy version of the very popular and lucrative Space Marines of WH40K.

I actually like the base concept, both visual and backgroundwise. I do have things I absolutely hate on the minis, though: most prominently the shoulder pads and the weapons. I've made a small group of Sigmarines, and I ended up converting the hell out of them.

The decals on the shoulders are meant to be the symbol of their Conclave within a Warrior Chamber of their Stormhost... A Conclave is basically their function on the battlefield; as either scout (Angelos), elite (Paladin), core (Reedeemer) or ranged support (Justicar).
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 05:20:33 PM: Thanks for the answer.

> A Conclave is basically their function on the battlefield; as either scout (Angelos), elite (Paladin), core (Reedeemer) or ranged support (Justicar).

Can you tell me which symbol is for which, though? Lightning, crescent moon, etc.?

Most of those weapons are ridiculous. That's my biggest gripe. I do like the regular bows, though. They look like they are shooting big harpoons or javelins. The giant hammers really look like someone is trying to compensate for something else.

All the lightning bolts coming from the heads and backpacks are a little silly but I can get used to them, especially if they are meant to be mythological and magical as opposed to gritty and earthly.

Some of the characters look fantastic, though, and I LOVE the expressions on the expressionless masks (so to speak).

Surprisingly, my wife and daughter really liked them.

When I first saw them, with helmets on, I somehow envisioned light, good-guy wraiths (technically, a wraith is animated clothing with no body inside), just energy inside, animating the golden armor.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Vanvlak on June 13, 2018, 06:26:19 PM: I agree - I hated the idea of fantasy space marines at first, but I have warmed to them, and the features you pointed out - the texted streamers and the expressionless masks - make them interesting beasties. I should be ashamed to admit I am really warming to the easy-build models which do not have oodles of fiddly bits too 8)
Can't help much about the background, just enjoying painting them e.g.:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/897/41626514631_132b674932_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 06:35:02 PM: Nice job!

How is the weight on that guy? Does he tip over too easily? I keep imagining needing a lead weight in that base.

You might want to do some more coloring on those wings. They lend themselves to a very nice effect when the color changes, radiating outward from where the "feathers" insert, and also they're well-raised so drybrushing them would also look great.

Just some thoughts on that already-great-looking example you posted.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: CaptainHaddonCollider on June 13, 2018, 07:51:39 PM: I have to agree with pretty much everyone else in the thread. At first, I loathed the sigmarines and their ilk, thinking that they were a poor substitute for the original fantasy miniatures. I think that the biggest turn-off for me, was the fact that I couldn't relate them to anything I'd seen in the Old World, and therefore didn't connect them to the Warhammer universe at all. They felt like imposters and fakes, trying to rip off one of my most beloved fantasy worlds since I was 11.
Then I read this blog: http://www.exprofundis.com/stormcast-eternals-of-the-immortal-tribunal/

...And I was instantly sold. I went and bought a starter-box with some different khorne-guys and 5 Stormcast Eternals. They were actually a joy to paint up. I recently painted up the Naeve Blacktalon miniature as well. My only changes to the miniature was a resculpt of the ridiculous boob-plate, parts of the cloak and the axes. She painted up just as good as the snap-fit ones from the small box, and I really like the pose of the miniature. I'm currently eyeing what to do next...
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Vanvlak on June 13, 2018, 08:07:46 PM: Quote from: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 06:35:02 PM
Nice job!

How is the weight on that guy? Does he tip over too easily? I keep imagining needing a lead weight in that base.

You might want to do some more coloring on those wings. They lend themselves to a very nice effect when the color changes, radiating outward from where the "feathers" insert, and also they're well-raised so drybrushing them would also look great.

Just some thoughts on that already-great-looking example you posted.
Thanks - there is a variation in shade, it's not seen at all in the pic though.
They don't tip as badly as you'd think they should, but a weight under the base is recommended - especially as their long wings tend to get snagged on sleeves, and a weight would help against upsetting. Using a stone as part of the scenery is an alternative - I used shale here which weighs the model down nicely.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Blasphemia Blackwood on June 13, 2018, 08:32:38 PM: Quote from: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 05:20:33 PM

Can you tell me which symbol is for which, though? Lightning, crescent moon, etc.?

Here you go. This is from White Dwarf:

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NIdOuP8GKFw/WyFvs1iLZrI/AAAAAAAAFIY/kn-eunFunHYjviOqTjv3dJuvZZdgwuu3QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180613_212109_022.jpg)

Quote from: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 05:20:33 PM

When I first saw them, with helmets on, I somehow envisioned light, good-guy wraiths (technically, a wraith is animated clothing with no body inside), just energy inside, animating the golden armor.

I imagined the same thing. But then they showed later that they looked like humans underneath, and I was disappointed. The more fleshed-out they get, the less appeal they have for me.

This is what I did with mine:

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrbZvLrJBII/WjfP5zdH5EI/AAAAAAAAETU/SYDiwPcP8k0KFS54HqRbDe0-4IBZeyQuACLcBGAs/s1600/champions02.jpg)

It's only one of the redesign ideas I have. I'm planning a golden one as well for a different project, conversion based on a non-stormcast figure.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 13, 2018, 09:22:14 PM: Ah, those rusty ones are yours?

I have a copy of that image in my phone that I use for inspiration.

Great job!

What rust color/paint did you use?
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Blasphemia Blackwood on June 13, 2018, 09:37:39 PM: Yup. Thanks!

I used Secret Weapon weathering acrylics for the rust. It's all here; I got asked about it a lot so I made a tutorial with pictures and all: LINKY (http://gardensofhecate.blogspot.com/2017/12/cxlviii-tutorial-corroded-plate.html).
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Hobgoblin on June 14, 2018, 08:37:24 AM: Quote from: Blasphemia Blackwood on June 13, 2018, 08:59:32 AM
I do have things I absolutely hate on the minis, though: most prominently the shoulder pads and the weapons.

I couldn't agree more with you on the weapons! For me, the big hammers look as if they must be made of foam. Yours are tremendous - and the more proportionate weapons really help.

ErikB, I painted one of them when they first came out, with a head and weapon swap. One thing that annoys me about these miniatures is how cluttered they are with detail. I much prefer big open spaces to paint on, so had to spend a lot of time carving off the extraneous detail.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Loop on June 14, 2018, 04:11:36 PM: Quote from: Hobgoblin on June 14, 2018, 08:37:24 AM
One thing that annoys me about these miniatures is how cluttered they are with detail. I much prefer big open spaces to paint on, so had to spend a lot of time carving off the extraneous detail.

I agree with this; I think it’s a side effect of digital sculpting. The designers can get into every single nook and cranny and fill it with detail in a way they never could before.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 14, 2018, 05:52:57 PM: Quote from: Loop on June 14, 2018, 04:11:36 PM
I agree with this; I think it’s a side effect of digital sculpting. The designers can get into every single nook and cranny and fill it with detail in a way they never could before.
That's actually a good topic to discuss.

One thing I love about the Copplestone minis is the open areas to paint. It's easy to get a nice surface, nice transitions (e.g. sleeve to hand), and so on. I like the World of Twilight and Pulp Figures minis for similar reasons (plus their creativity).

One thing I love about some of GW's minis is the extreme amount of texture and detail they fit in. This makes it easier to shade and highlight complex rough surfaces like skin. Even the straps are easy to edge, which I find is the most difficult part of mini painting (e.g. a brown strap with light brown edge highlights).

I just did up some orcs (orrucks?) and they were a breeze to paint for this reason exactly.

Some of the best sculpts I've ever seen come from Hassle Free. They're amazing. Their proportions are such that I think the minis would still appear lifelike if they were enlarged to human-size.

They're very difficult to paint, however because they lack the detail and they lack the broad surfaces with strong transitions

It must be rough being a sculptor. One can't please everyone all the time.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Manchu on June 14, 2018, 10:22:39 PM: I think Stormcast are a great-looking faction for big battles. You picked the right time to start liking them. A whole raft of new sculpts are coming out with the amazing AoS 2nd Ed starter box:

(https://whc-cdn.games-workshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/AoSSoulWarsLaunch-StormcastArmy4ed.jpg)

My fantasy projects of late are all about dunegon delving and I think Stormcast have limited relevance there. They are mighty heroes, not plucky (read: foolhardy) adventurers desperate enough to go down a hole full of who knows what.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Diablo Jon on June 15, 2018, 05:24:06 AM: Its probably telling that the ones I've seen that I liked are the ones people have converted the crap out of. As someone who never moved on to AoS they have pretty limited use for me gaming wise.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Lost Egg on June 15, 2018, 07:52:24 AM: Overall I think I kinda like them and have been tempted...I even bought the original starter set but in the end they never really motivated me to paint them so they got sold on. I did paint this guy though...

(https://i.imgur.com/l4AnIgR.jpg)
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: Aerendar Valandil on June 15, 2018, 08:06:13 AM: I am more interested in the concept than in the models. I do like the idea of 'empty shells' though, and I like the guy with the sword above.

Perhaps it's much like Chaos Warriors in the past: I had a limited liking from eons ago, but I just painted two champs (one very old, one very new) this year.

We'll see.

M.
Title: Re: Just discovering Age of Sigmar and Stormcast Eternals
Post by: ErikB on June 15, 2018, 05:27:01 PM: I'm having fun with fewer than 10. The look good with golden Sisters of Silence in the display case, despite being separated by gazillions of sci-fi years.

I'm a model/mini maker, not a gamer, so that's my take on them.

I was pleasantly surprised my wife liked them. She doesn't like anything, especially anything new.