Jagannath's Sword and Sorcery S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Scruffian Ruffians 7/1/23

[Jagannath]

Hey all,

This project started life as an attempt to get a Frostgrave warband knocked up in quick time, but has mutated!

I'm a huge fan of the Inq28 and related community, and turned to some techniques that I've seen there for speedpainting - I'm a very slow and meticulous painter usually, so wanted to try some new bits. The technique I've landed on I'm really pleased with, and it's grim and grimy style pushed this project in a slightly different direction.

Ruins Stalkers

The land of Tveland lies sick - it's fens, towns, citadels and cities damaged and lay to waste by a sickly curse. It's corners filled with deceit and darkness. It's dead stalk and stumble where once it's living talked and traded. Nature is corrupted and sickly, even the sun appears to have fallen under this malady.

Living memory no longers tells what befell Tveland, but it's clear that apocalyptic events must have passed.

Those that live in the land carve out meager existences farming sickly livestock or scavenging. Distrust of outsiders leads insular hovels to worship local deities and fey. The cities, packed with draugr, offer little more than an opportunity to join their rotting populaces.

But still Tveland does not lie silent. Hunters and scavengers, hoping to make their fortune or to discover lost artifacts, skulk among the wreckage and wastes. Questing warriors, both nefarious and noble, look to lift the malady from the land, or protect the poor souls who remain in Tveland, besieged by evil. Zealots traipse for opportunities to please their deities. Sorcerers and Scholars search for lost tomes or grimoires, craving the knowledge that clearly brought the land low, whilst slavers trawl the land to fill the mines or raise corrupted monuments.

Little is to be found in Tveland 'cept death, but that little may be enough

That's my rough concept! It's basically Mordheim meets S.T.A.L.K.E.R meets Dark Souls, with some ideas knicked from the very cool Mork Borg RPG. Here's some concept art for the feel of the world I've pinched from the net.







and... here's the first mini!







Almost entirely made from the new Frostgrave knight sprue with some editions and painted with a new techinque I've been working up, utilising lots of oil washes.

I've got a tonne more minis to add already, but I might wait until I've knocked up a little photobackdrop.

[axiom]

He's fantastic! I love that plum colour you've used on his cloth, and you've given him a very characterful careworn face.

How do you find working with oils on miniatures?

Looking forward to seeing some of his companions.

[Jagannath]

He's fantastic! I love that plum colour you've used on his cloth, and you've given him a very characterful careworn face.

How do you find working with oils on miniatures?

Looking forward to seeing some of his companions.

Cheers! Having loads of fun actually. The way I’m painting is prime black, zenith white then blocking in nice bold colours - airbrush where possible then neaten with brush. They look pretty rubbish and quite garish at this stage. Then I selectively hit areas I want to highlight with a very light blast of an ivory colour with the airbrush - just enough to lighten.  Then hit them with a gloss spray then slap on various oil washes/glazes (I’m making mine quite thick, as opposed to those thin oil washes scale modellers use). Once they’ve gone matte - so an hour or two - I go at them with cotton buds , trying to capture a zenith effect. Once I’m happy I seal, give them sharp highlights with Vallejo silvergrey and make the metals look pretty. I’ll try and capture a step by step. 

In terms of literal time from priming to finished it’s quite slow, because there are lots of drying stage, but in terms of actual time under the brush this fella probably took 45 mins - 1 hour and none of it is laborious except those final highlights, so it’s totally revolutionised my ability to get things finished.

[Dentatus]

Nice work on that miniature and a very cool setting. Looking forward to more.

[hubbabubba]

The firdt mini looks great, looking forward to some more.

[Neunfinger]

That mini looks fantastic! It took m a moment to realize he's made from the knights sprue and not a metal mini cast in one piece. The washed out red looks super convincing.

[Historiker]

That is one absolutely stunning miniature and some intensely atmospheric piece of writing!

In regards to the miniature: I did not plan to get the Knights sprue as there are already too many unpainted miniatures in my flat, but you really made the sprue shine!

In regards to your setting:

It is just great to see that the Mordheim-esque (or even post-Mordheim-esqe) style of fantasy is coming back! This more adult version of fantasy is hugely appealing to me and I will definitely be following this thread to get more glimpses into this world you are envisioning!

In case you are interested in other visions of Dark Fantasy:

I am currently writing on my own setting called Raubvogel. The thread so far can be found in the Frostgrave section as I started from there, but I fear it might turn out to be a very different beast by the end and I might have to have it moved into general fantasy. Time will tell.

My setting is not as post-apocalyptic as your creation though with so far only the city of Raubvogel being devastated by some unknown phenomenon. The rest of mankind is disordered still quite merrily mucking about!

Will you be writing more? I really hope you do! I am very keen on seeing your vision of post-apocalyptic fantasy develop! Godspeed!

Historiker

[Jagannath]

Thanks for kind words all.

@Neunfinger - that means a lot, I’m a big fan of one piece sculpts and much prefer that style of posing that arms flailing types. Not always possible with kits but I try.

@Historiker - that’s sounds great, I’ll go take a look. The knight sprue is a bit weird imo, the poses are off except this one, but there’s plenty of useable bits. My writing is pretty ropey and relies on alliteration to much but I’ll add the old flavour paragraph I’m sure!

[Historiker]

Many thanks for the info in regards to the knights kit. When I first saw it I did not think of the kit as interesting for me but you definitely have shown that the bits alone might be worth getting one

Glad to hear there might be more writing down the line. Your text and the accompanying images really set the miniature up perfectly - I could really see him struggling through this dark wasteland!

[Hobgoblin]

That's a superb adventurer - great work!

I love the faint air of trepidation about him - mixed with resignation, perhaps? It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it ...

[Jagannath]

Thanks dude - and thanks for your silvergrey highlight technique, thoroughly pinched for this project.

Yeah that’s pose I love - minis that look like they’re about to walk into something, much prefer that to in-combat poses.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Brilliant figure! Excellent build and brushwork, really makes that new sprue shine.

[M.P.]

Very interesting project, great paintjob:-).

[Jagannath]

Smashing - thanks both.

Plenty more to come, I've already boxed off another 10 minis - unheard of for me!

[LouieN]

The mini has a great feel, gritty, battle hardened.