We have another SkypeBoot coming up (going back to 8th Ed, 2500pts - so it should be a humdinger). And as a change of pace, Kraken will be fielding my greenskin army.
As I was listing the models I had available, Kraken causally asked: "I don't suppose you've got a wyvern rider?"
I know the duties of a good host - I had a week to get painting!
I've always liked this particular interpretation of the wyvern - not classical, but a very orky underbite and pot belly. Certainly not to be confused with dragons, which is always an issue.
This was how it looked pre-magentising. I had the devil of a time getting a neat fit with the wings, and in the end they took two magnets apiece, plus a bit of reshaping the socket with greenstuff before I could get a fit that wouldn't wobble off when I moved it.
A ninth magnet on the neck was to secure the rider (and allow me to use a rampaging monster if the warboss gets cannonballed off).
I picked up most of the model on eBay, a reasonable price, considering it lacked horns, tail and a rider. But I was quite happy with the bitz I managed to substitute:
I had a nice metal boar rider Warboss lined up, but the extra weight on the beastie's neck kept toppling the model over, and it proved a bugger to magnetize.
This is a much simpler job - popping a wee magnet under the bum of one of the new plastic boar boys. To try and beef him up, I added the metal jaws to his helmet (which nicely mirror the wyvern's teeth) and added a second blade to turn his regular axe into a battleaxe.
In terms of paint, there wasn't much to work with - just flesh, armour and strapping. I did add a check pattern to one of the vanbraces, which came out well. I would have done it on other pieces of armour, but I was more than happy with how the rusty metal look appeared.
He's not as imposing a full-on Warboss, although I have plenty of models on foot and boarback to do that job, so this one is definitely just a wyvern-jockey with big ideas.
He also has the distinction of being the first Common Orc in this army - which means I had to decide the paint scheme for orky flesh on the fly (boom boom). I wanted something lighter than my Black Orcs, darker than Savage Orcs, more verdant than Night Goblins and not as snotty as Snotlings.
As luck would have it, I quite like the colour scheme: sufficiently dark and dirty to give the Common Orcs an identity within the greater Waaagh! (who knows, I might actually get around to painting some now!)
The wyvern itself was a different challenge: I wanted it to be green, but not in the same way as any of my other orcs (or trolls, for that matter). I was running out of greens - but I had held back Death World Forest or just such an eventuality.
As I was listing the models I had available, Kraken causally asked: "I don't suppose you've got a wyvern rider?"
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| Yes, but I wouldn't say it was *totally* finished. |
I know the duties of a good host - I had a week to get painting!
I've always liked this particular interpretation of the wyvern - not classical, but a very orky underbite and pot belly. Certainly not to be confused with dragons, which is always an issue.
 |
| Here There Be Wyverns |
This was how it looked pre-magentising. I had the devil of a time getting a neat fit with the wings, and in the end they took two magnets apiece, plus a bit of reshaping the socket with greenstuff before I could get a fit that wouldn't wobble off when I moved it.
A ninth magnet on the neck was to secure the rider (and allow me to use a rampaging monster if the warboss gets cannonballed off).
 |
| Magnets: a wing-wing situation. |
I picked up most of the model on eBay, a reasonable price, considering it lacked horns, tail and a rider. But I was quite happy with the bitz I managed to substitute:
- Stegadon horns from this unit filler (bigger than the regular ones)
- Plastic tail from a Chimera (I'm sure there used to be a bygone rule about it having an extra-stingy tail)
- For the rider, just a regular plastic boar boy...
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| Giddy up! |
I had a nice metal boar rider Warboss lined up, but the extra weight on the beastie's neck kept toppling the model over, and it proved a bugger to magnetize.
This is a much simpler job - popping a wee magnet under the bum of one of the new plastic boar boys. To try and beef him up, I added the metal jaws to his helmet (which nicely mirror the wyvern's teeth) and added a second blade to turn his regular axe into a battleaxe.
In terms of paint, there wasn't much to work with - just flesh, armour and strapping. I did add a check pattern to one of the vanbraces, which came out well. I would have done it on other pieces of armour, but I was more than happy with how the rusty metal look appeared.
He's not as imposing a full-on Warboss, although I have plenty of models on foot and boarback to do that job, so this one is definitely just a wyvern-jockey with big ideas.
 |
| 18" leadership bubble, here I come! |
He also has the distinction of being the first Common Orc in this army - which means I had to decide the paint scheme for orky flesh on the fly (boom boom). I wanted something lighter than my Black Orcs, darker than Savage Orcs, more verdant than Night Goblins and not as snotty as Snotlings.
- Flesh: Castellan Green base, Agrax Earthshade wash. Elysian Green highlights
- Armour: Chaos Black Undercoat, Ironbreaker drybrush, Typhus Corrosion wash, Ryza Rust highlights
- Straps: Balor Brown base, Brown Ink wash
- Horns: Chaos Black Undercoat, Ironbreaker drybrush, Tinny Tin highlights
- Trousers: Mechanicus Standard Grey base, Agrax Earthshade wash
- Shield and haft: Tallern Sand base, , Agrax Earthshade wash
- Eyes: Blood Red
As luck would have it, I quite like the colour scheme: sufficiently dark and dirty to give the Common Orcs an identity within the greater Waaagh! (who knows, I might actually get around to painting some now!)
 |
| If the wings look familiar, it's because you're seen them on every other flying model ever. |
The wyvern itself was a different challenge: I wanted it to be green, but not in the same way as any of my other orcs (or trolls, for that matter). I was running out of greens - but I had held back Death World Forest or just such an eventuality.
- Underbelly and wing supports: Death World Forest base, Agrax Earthshade wash, Elysian Green highlights, Nurgling Green Highlights
- Scales: Chaos Black undercoat, Castellan Green highlights, Nuln Oil wash, Nurgling Green Highlights
- Wings: Balor Brown base, Agrax Earthshade wash
- Horns and claws: Zandri Dust base, Agrax Earthshade wash
- Tail sting: Emeral Green, Agrax Earthshade wash, Tallern Sand highlights
- Eyes: Bilious Green
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| The wind beneath my wings |
And so my challenge is finished - a whole two days before deadline and ready to thunderstomp me into pieces.
Then I discover that Kraken is also hoping to field a Rock Lobba, a second Doom Diver, two Night Goblin Shamans, and an Orc Bully.
I'll fetch me brushes...