Periodic Skaven Thread (NAFC report - see how badly I play!)

[velvet mark]

Really interesting thread Axiom. Got to say the thrower with 2 hands on the ball is probably one of the best minis ive ever seen! Is it a conversion? If so would you mind telling what bits are from where? The ogres are looking sweet too.

[axiom]

Got to say the thrower with 2 hands on the ball is probably one of the best minis ive ever seen! Is it a conversion? If so would you mind telling what bits are from where?

He's a pretty straightforward chop between the human and skaven throwers above - just needed to shorten the human torso a bit so it wasn't too tall. Glad you like him!

[yggdrasil]

The new rat ogre is miles better than the other one in my view, because it is made with real Warhammer and Blood Bowl parts it looks like it fits with the team and has the same level and style of sculpting detail. The four armed rat ogre looks like a rubber toy, is the problem.

Where do the legs on this new rat ogre come from?

[axiom]

The new rat ogre is miles better than the other one in my view, because it is made with real Warhammer and Blood Bowl parts it looks like it fits with the team and has the same level and style of sculpting detail. The four armed rat ogre looks like a rubber toy, is the problem.

Where do the legs on this new rat ogre come from?

Got to say I disagree with the view on the 4-armed rat ogre - the base model is pretty well sculpted and detailed. If anything the anatomy and fur texturing is significantly better than the 2nd ed Skaven models - the musculature is clearly defined, the fur looks like fur rather than being stippled on. Of course, it might be my additions which don't stand up - although I was very careful to try and match the sculpted style as closely as possible (hey ho! ).

I guess now I've got a model for both tastes

As for the new Rat Ogre's legs, hopefully this will help (the tail is a modern plastic Rat Ogre tail):

[yggdrasil]

Ahaaa, I didn't recognise the legs but I now see why, I didn't expect them to be a combination of pieces. Nicely played.

I guess the old rat ogre just looks poorly sculpted to me because it is a different style to the style I am used to and attuned to. Like an optical illusion. The fur, for example - you're right that the 2nd ed skaven fur and its dappled effect doesn't look particularly realistic. The long, flat hair might look closer to what a real (long-haired) rat would have. But because the 2nd ed skaven are what *real* skaven look like to me, a model that doesn't fit with that style naturally looks *wrong*. Psychology in action.

[axiom]

the 2nd ed skaven are what *real* skaven look like to me, a model that doesn't fit with that style naturally looks *wrong*.

Got to say, I agree with your view

*Disclaimer - really bad pic below!*

Found some more time to paint up another member of the team - this time my two-headed lineman. I was giving the other guys a protective coat of gloss varnish just after I finished him, so did him at the same time. He will in due course be matt varnished, but at the moment, this is what he looks like (basing still needed also):



I was told by one of my mates that two factors heighten human perception of humour:
1) viewing poses from front on
2) symmetry

Supposedly they do it a lot in films to make scenes even "more funny". This guy must be hilarious then!

Pretty happy with the result; if I could do him again I'd do some more detailing to the chest armour, but it will pass - and he's only a lineman after all

[yggdrasil]

That mutant looks fantastic, quite disconcerting really. What really sells him, I think, is that he doesn't just look like a skaven with a second head bolted on (how I made my own 2nd ed skaven mutant back in the day), he looks like he has an actual siamese twin-style second torso growing out of him. Which I presume is exactly how he was built!

[axiom]

he doesn't just look like a skaven with a second head bolted on (how I made my own 2nd ed skaven mutant back in the day), he looks like he has an actual siamese twin-style second torso growing out of him. Which I presume is exactly how he was built!

Exactly - I basically cut through the thrower and lineman at the point where the shoulder joins the neck; the whole waist and loincloth of the thrower was widened out to accomodate the width of the 2nd torso. I tried to avoid the "2nd head stuck on" look

EDIT: just took some pics of the finished guy and his buddies:





Over halfway to a playable painted team now

[Aino]

The Rat Ogre is not totally convincing, but that's just a minor thing comparing with the result you got on the other team members.
Can't wait for the next batch of players (second fat rat and temtacle player especially)!

Excellent job on the conversions and paintscheme. This is really what Bloodbowl is all about if you ask me; convincing poses, realistic natural "gritty-dirty" colours, coherent looks for the uniforms without going for the "regimental" look,...
Your team's got it all!

W

[barnacle111]

Really good work. Liking the double headed rat. What varnishes are you using? In particular what mat varnish?

[axiom]

Really good work. Liking the double headed rat. What varnishes are you using? In particular what mat varnish?

Cheers guys. The varnish is brush on acrylic gloss then matt by Vallejo. I find it a bit tempremental, it needs thinning with water and if it pools it can cloud and obliterate details!

@Aino - regimented individuality is what I'm aiming for

[Fassbinder75]

Your work axiom reminds me of Steinman the plastic surgeon in Bioshock - and he has this priceless quote:

"ADAM presents new problems for the professional. As your tools improve, so do your standards. There was a time, I was happy enough to take off a wart or two, or turn a real circus freak into something you can show in the daylight. But that was then, when we took what we got, but with ADAM... the flesh becomes clay. What excuse do we have not to sculpt, and sculpt, and sculpt, until the job is done?"

[axiom]

Your work axiom reminds me of Steinman the plastic surgeon in Bioshock - and he has this priceless quote:

"ADAM presents new problems for the professional. As your tools improve, so do your standards. There was a time, I was happy enough to take off a wart or two, or turn a real circus freak into something you can show in the daylight. But that was then, when we took what we got, but with ADAM... the flesh becomes clay. What excuse do we have not to sculpt, and sculpt, and sculpt, until the job is done?"

I definitely agree with the sentiment. A couple of years ago I did the odd weapon swap on figures in my 40k armies. My first 'modern' Blood Bowl team was my Elves just 2 years ago, with the odd head swap and just one extensive conversion. My Necro team was even more involved, and these guys another step on again. The more I do, the more practice I get, and perhaps more adventurous too!

Anyway, something a little more subtle for this update - the 2nd or 3rd figure I converted for this team, this Gutter Runner was an attempt to make the 2nd ed Skaven Catcher more dynamic with minimal conversion. He had a minor repostioning of his left leg and right arm, with some resculpting to hide it all. BTW, I quite like the oven gloves, even if they get a lot of bad press

[el Superbeasto]

BTW, I quite like the oven gloves, even if they get a lot of bad press

Finally someone with the courage to admit they like the mittens! ("My name is el Superbeasto, I like mittens too." – "Hi, el Superbeasto!" )

So, confession time! I prefer my minis to be static – or sorta in a "ready-to-take-action pose". It’s not that I don’t like dynamic figures. I think yours, ax, look amazing! I just prefer my own in the classic 2nd ed. lineup style. The only place I like (my) figures to be dynamic is on the kickers – who on my teams are dirty players.

(PS: Well done on yet another beautiful figure!)

[axiom]

So, confession time! I prefer my minis to be static – or sorta in a "ready-to-take-action pose".

Glad you like him

On dynamism v static, my personal preference is to limit the use of dynamism. The current GW human team in view view is far too dynamic - trying to work out which player is which is tricky. I much prefer a selective approach on a couple of specific positionals (e.g. catchers, wardancers etc) to make it interesting, but not too confusing. With these guys, I deliberately went for dynamism on the Gutter Runners and no other models. It then makes it easy for me to say "The Blitzers are the two with spiked fists, the Thrower has the ball, the two jumping guys are Gutter Runners..."

If I had to choose though, I would go for an entirely static rather than an entirely dynamic team