Saturday 2 December 2017

CXLVI. Shadespire: Angharad Brightshield

Bought Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire last week. From the time it was announced, the game was advertised as "the ultimate competitive miniatures game". Since I'm not one for competitive gaming (not that I have anything against that approach in general, I just prefer to invest my energy in other things), I was mildly put off initially, but as I learnt more I warmed up to the idea of starting it. I like the small count of miniatures and gaming implements needed, the short play time for a single game, rules simple to learn but not dumbed-down, as well as the not too steep price of warbands. What I don't appreciate is the fact each warband comes with new cards any warband can use, so in order to have all the card options for anyone warband one must buy all the warbands. However, I don't need all the cards... And even if I want to, I can borrow or proxy. I do not intend to play this in tournaments. Anyway, saw this as opportunity to convert some Dark Age of Sigmar Stormcast. Only three models for a complete playable warband. Nice.

I am not thrilled with the Stormcast aesthetics, but I don't hate them either. They possess enough elements I fancy that I feel they have a lot of potential. With the Shadespire three I want to make some darker-looking Stormcast Eternals. I've been looking mostly at Dark Souls game series art books for inspiration. I have ideas for more customised Shadespire warbands, but must stop myself before it gets out of hand...
 
Stormcast Liberatress Angharad Brightshield was a smith in her past life, according to the book.
Put a golden sun on her tower shield; seemed appropriate to explain why they call her Brightshield.
 

With this conversion, first order of business was to reduce the way over-the-top things: shoulder pads, voluptuous boob plate, oversized hammer. Then I swapped the sidearm with a more medieval looking one, added chainmail in place of scales on the front, added some keys to fill a spot that seemed empty of detail, sculpted tassets and rondels, reshaped the shield and helmet. I'd say most of it is not even obvious at first glance on the painted model.

The blue plastic is the original model. The grey parts are from other plastic kits, and the yellow and green areas are putty.
The original model, for comparison.

Angharad's two comrades are still on sprue, but I expect they will follow soon enough.

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Also working on a cave entrance; another addition to the Wilderness terrain set and the final piece for Monstrous Births scenarios. It's polystyrene, clay and an old CD for a base. Quick and simple, nothing that hasn't been seen here before, so I won't go into detail. Still WIP, as it needs grass and some highlights on the rocks. 

29 comments:

  1. A wonderfully evocative piece! You keep going from strength to strength! <3

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  2. gorgeous. The stormcasts always look really nice when they're grimed up but this is particularly lovely.

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  3. Your paint job totally fits the 'trapped in an endless' setting of the game and is a seamless fit.
    Love the understated conversion of bright shield.

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  4. Good conversion and great painting work. :)

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  5. She looks much better, great stuff

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  6. A wonderfully subtle conversion that adds a load more character to the model; stunning work yet again!

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous! I want to really like the Stormcasts, I do like the narrative behind them, but I keep getting put off by the aesthetic.

    Your conversion only strengthens my own feeling that they have a lot of potential, I just have to figure out what it is I want from them before working on my own.

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    1. Thanks! I hope you do figure it out, as I'd love to see more alternative takes on this faction.

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  8. Very nice; those changes to the model are so subtle one almost doesn't notice... but they improve it a lot. Great paint job too :)

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  9. awesome job!!
    Really nice job on the painting and the greenstuff!

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  10. You made a amazing conversion. I enjoy how you sifted the style from Sigmar's best to a descent female badass warrior. Also that it is now more true-scale make it really more impressive.

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  11. as always , you manage to completely transform a generic model into a custom piece of art.. the warm russet colors are simply majestic.

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  12. The official version looks great AND yours look equally good, just in a more weathered way. Nice work!

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  13. Great to see you already putting your new tools to work!

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    1. :) I like them a lot. Silicone shapers make things so much easier.

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  14. I am hoping to convert the contents of the silver tower game for use with my mordheim stuff. What you did with the stormcast looks awesome and hopefully I can do something similar. I'm a little discouraged by how much you had to do to get rid of the more "oversized" elements.

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    1. Thanks! It takes a no small amount of work, but it's worth it for the unique custom miniature you end up with.

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  15. One of the most inspiring posts I've seen last year. Great job!

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