A Hag-Queen rises from the mists

When I first started this project I looked over the fan-made army listing and designed a rough outline of the army that I would like to field. Obviously every army needs a general, and for the fimir it absolutely has to be the tribe leader, the hag-queen, the meargh. The problem I had was working out how to model a female fimir? There are numerous illustrations that give a very definitive idea of how the hag-queen is supposed to look, and I was convinced that my green stuff skill was nowhere near good enough to be able to sculpt a saurus warrior to resemble these pictures.

I was searching a variety of miniatures designer websites looking for a suitable hag model that I could then replace the face to convert it into my fimir meargh. I'd found a couple of possibilities, but nothing that I was really happy with, until a friend of mine pointed me towards the game Malifaux. I don't play the game and, despite this friend's attempts at pushing it, I not going to start as I don't have enough time to actually play the games I am already involved with, but I had to agree that the models look fantastic. In particular the model of Zoraida the hag.

This was perfect, so look what I treated myself to!

Reavers spotted in the marshes

I have previously blogged to say that I had ordered some giant lizard models to make Marsh Reavers. Well they arrived and they are quite simply brilliant! They are a bit larger than I originally thought, but they really fit the bill and will make some fantastic models. I've mounted them on monstrous infantry bases and have done the first stage of my usual swamp-base-technique. Whilst the lizard is the same model, slightly positioning it facing a different direction at least gives a slight variation.

I had ordered a sprue of the lizardmen cold one riders for ebay (sorry GW, but I only needed one sprue, not a whole box full). I haven't set about making the riders properly yet as stepping back to the modelling will be a slow process. However, I have clipped out a few of the components and used a bit of blutac to mock up how the rider will fit on the back of the lizard. It fits reasonably well, but there are a few definite gaps. This will mean some fairly substantial green stuff work (obviously I will have to use some to fit the pieces together smoothly, as well as bulk out the stomach, etc, as with the fimir warriors I have modelled so far). Yet I was talking with a warhammer geek friend earlier this week about these very models and he asked a simple question which changed my thoughts on these models to make it far simpler - will they have kilts too? This means that I can do the basic green stuffing as originally intended, but that I can cover up a fair amount with the bandage-based kilts. I'll just have to try and get them flowing backwards so it doesn't mask all of the saddle details.

These fimir must be pretty decent warriors and respected within the clan to be given the privilege/death-wish of riding fearsome bog beasts. Therefore they need to be represented with several marks of prestige - decent belly shields, kilts, spears, shields, and a wild array of weapons. Maybe a few other bits and pieces if I can think of and locate things.

Moons have passed

It has been rather a long time since I did any modelling or gaming, and the fimir have been neglected somewhat. That's the thing about life, it tends to delay geeky fun! I have moved house, been doing various jobs around the new house, liaising with builders about other jobs to be done around the house, and performed in Sweeney Todd at the Marlowe Theatre. Luckily everything has gone well and I now have a bit more time again. Admittedly I'm still sharing that with doing work on the house and the joys of teacher admin work like marking/writing reports, but slowly some progress will be made again.

As you can see, the other 7 marsh hounds have been constructed from the chaos warhound kit, along with the filler on the bases. These have been added to the 'ready to paint' pile. I'm getting quite used to/reasonably adept at putting the filler on the bases - trying to spread it around to leave spaces for pools of stinking marsh water, while simulating the oozing mud of the marshes. I just hope that I can remember/recreate the effect that worked on the bases of the models that I have finished.

I have also worked on bulking up the fir bolg unit. I had made 5 dead of the marshes equipped with hand weapon and shield, but wanted the chance to field the unit with great weapons, so equipped the remaining 5 to illustrate this.

I tried to again get two to look as though they were crawling up from the swamp, though I think only one really worked. I tried to make the second one a bit more subtle, but I was a bit too successful in this regard! They work nicely with the existing 5 though to create a nice and atmospheric unit. I'm looking forward to getting some paint on them at some point, but god knows when that will be.

Anyway, that's enough for now, but I will be updating again soon to show off a few purchases that I have treated myself to!