Warmaster Mortis Engine

With the sad demise of the GW Specialist Games series, and the loss of Warmaster....sob :( , there is a need I feel to update a number of Old World armies to reflect the new models that have been released recently for their larger Warhammer cousins. One such model is the Vampire Counts Mortis Engine.

Looking at the GW Dreadfleet product, I noticed that the Shadewraith has a passing resemblance to the Mortis Engine's main platform. It's the right size too! With a little creativity, and the selective cutting and repositioning of the bow, the removal of the rudder and some of the sides of the Shadewraith, I came up with this for the Engine's platform.

I added a Pendraken pedestal behind the repositioned bow.

I then cut the base and back legs off a Vampire Counts Black Knight and positioned it at the "bow" of the Mortis Engine.

I then flanked this Knight with another Knight on each side. These were set back slightly in imitation of the full sized Mortis Engine.

Some clipping of the legs was required in order to remove the base enough to give the legs of the Knights both an in-motion feel and to fit them properly on either side of the main Knight.

Next I used two GW Spirit Host spirits to hover around the Mortis Engine.

I used a Splintered Light 15mm Spectres mini as the cloaked Corpsemaster.

So how does it look on the battlefield?

Now to work out what colours to pain this.

Uncharted Seas and the Corsairs of Umbar

I've been interested in using Spartan Games Uncharted Seas rule system for naval battles set in Middle-earth.

The Uncharted Seas Imperial Humans look great for Gondor White Ships of Dol Amroth. The older Elven ship models work well for Middle-earth elf ships, and the newer elven models work well for games set in the Old World of Warhammer. The Dwarven, Orc and Bone Griffin ships also work rely well for the Warhammer Old World.

But for the Middle-earth setting, I need something that looks like the Corsairs of Umbar.

The Dragon Lords vessels look the closest to this. The Shadow Cruiser works the best for a Corsair cruiser. I've been able to get a bunch from eBay recently, one of which was painted in a rudimentary colour scheme.

To make something that looks like a Corsair ship the sail configuration needed to be rearranged. Using sails from the Invoker Cruiser and the Moonbeam Destroyer, I started with cutting and reorienting the small sail on the bow of the Shadow Cruiser to make the bow rake.

I added the mainsail from the Moonbeam Destroyer. Then followed that by the mainsail from the Shadow Cruiser.

With the foresail from the Invoker Cruiser added, and some basic base painting, it starts to look like the Corsair ships from the Return of the King.

Here's the final paint job. I'm not convinced with this paint scheme, but this is the prototype.

Giving it a wash with Brown Ink also blends the colours in to each other.

I added a sail to the Invoker model as well, making it the command vessel for the fleet.

CD Terrain

There are some inspiring and very creative CD terrain pieces out there.

My favourite is the very cleaver combination of wargaming terrain, beer coaster, CD and of course the all important beer. See Manliest of Manly Terrain - Beer Coaster terrain. I have yet to make my own BCTT (all rights reserved to Warmasterdk). That's a project for a rainy day.

In the meantime, I thought I would add a few images of my own work-in-progress and completed CD Terrain pieces.

First is the work-in-progress Church yard. I'm still not sure whether to include a Pendraken zombie rising from the grave amongst the tombstones yet. It would add extra character, but then it would limit the piece to fantasy wargames and become unseemly for any historical setting, I feel. The tombstones are N gauge railway scenery tombstones that I bought of eBay. The church is an eBay buy as well.

Next are two finished pieces. These are a plinth and standing stone circle. Both are from Copplestone Castings if I remember correctly.

Finally, a couple more work-in-progress wooded copses for use by archers who wish to avoid pesky cavalry charges.

 

Warmonger Miniatures 10mm Empire Zweihänder (Great Swords) and the Pikeniere (Pikemen)

Just received my Kickstarter Zweihänder (Great Swords) and the Pikeniere (Pikemen) from Warmonger Miniatures. These are really well sculpted miniatures to add to any Warmaster Empire army.

The great news is that even though the Kickstarter finished months ago, if you missed out (nooooo!), Warmonger Miniatures is making them available through his store (oh joy!).

I thoroughly recommend them. Warmonger has done a brilliant job. I will certainly be supporting any future Kickstarters he does for 10mm miniatures.

Have a look at the goods...

Pikeniere (Pikemen)

Zweihänder (Great Swords)

 

The other painted miniatures are from eBay (no I can't paint that well). The Cardinals Painting Service I believe painted the some of them.