Jump to content

The Golden Orb tribe - a Spiderfang WIP


Chunk

Recommended Posts

Hello and welcome to my Spiderfang Grots progress log!

There'll be drama! Suspense! Romance (ew)! Also probably a lot of me questioning why I decided to do this.

But why Spiderfang I hear you hypothetically ask? It's simple - a Spiderfang army hits all my favourite hobby points; it's colourful, beautiful on the tabletop, and makes use of a small but diverse array of models.

Now, to go through the pictures I posted with this first update:

I'm building towards a Spiderfang Venom Mob formation, which for those not in the know consists of 1 Big Boss on Gigantic Spider, 3 Arachnarok Spiders, and 3 units of Spider Riders. I've already discussed the issues with the formation with my group and they're fine with me using the new warscrolls with it.

I've put the Arachnaroks on 130mm round bases. I tried 160mm originally (using a paper template) but it was a little too big, it overwhelmed the model. I wanted the model to be the focus, not the base, so 130mm ended up being the best choice.

Another point I should make is that some of the models I'm working on I acquired secondhand, which unfortunately means I was only provided about 14 goblins to go on the howdahs. I've decided to put at least 4 goblins on each howdah (plus the shamans) to represent the number of bow and spear attacks the model gets according to its warscroll.

In terms of paint scheme, I'm planning on painting the 3 arachnaroks slightly differently from one another. Each unit of 10 spider riders will be painted to match one of the arachnaroks, a bit like the arachnarok is the mother spider and the smaller ones are her brood. 

The army will be unified by the other colours, such as the turquoise feathers and green goblin skin. This way, even though the spiders are different colours, the army will be cohesive.

The army list I'm working on includes 2 units of 10 spider riders and one big unit of 20, plus a unit of 20 grot scuttlings (my group has agreed to let me use them as gitmob grots with the Spiderfang keyword). 

Anyway, watch this space for more updates, and feel free to leave any comments you like! I'll be updating this as I make progress, including hopefully some battle reports to show you all how the army performs on the table top.

Thanks for reading, I'll update soon!

17273568_10154279051371044_1866123954_o.jpg

17273743_10154279051826044_929451128_o.jpg

17273786_10154279051461044_90914711_o.jpg

17273855_10154279052381044_1711654062_o.jpg

17310744_10154279051956044_2135807633_o.jpg

17349334_10154279051581044_244247180_o.jpg

17349388_10154279052056044_335735412_o.jpg

17349462_10154279051721044_1245667835_o.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Very nice. white skinned spiders look absolutely disgusting. But in a spidery way. How did you achieve that milky white spider look?

Am about to start on my own (mixed) spider fang army myself and looking for all inspiration I can get.

Also, you're pictures are not showed properly to me, they're standing on their "sides", i.e. horisontally. 

Looking forward to seeing more!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Teletomas said:

 

Very nice. white skinned spiders look absolutely disgusting. But in a spidery way. How did you achieve that milky white spider look?

Am about to start on my own (mixed) spider fang army myself and looking for all inspiration I can get.

Also, you're pictures are not showed properly to me, they're standing on their "sides", i.e. horisontally. 

Looking forward to seeing more!

Thank you! The pale spider look was pretty simple - basecoat of rakarth flesh, seraphim sepia wash, drybrush over with rakarth, then a light drybrush of pallid wych flesh.

I hear you on the horizontal pictures, I don't know why that's the case. I'll make sure they're the right way up next time. If they were upside down then at least I could argue it's because I'm in Australia, but horizontal? What does that mean?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Thain said:

You're an Australian who scuttles up the wall sideways like a spider..?

My scuttling habits were once a matter known only to me and my wife, but now it seems I have inadvertently revealed my dark secret.

*scuttles up wall to safety*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A small update tonight to keep things flowing along.

I've begun to batch paint the howdahs and the goblins, however my efforts were stymied when I discovered I was all out of Deathworld Forest! Alas! Alack! My goblins will have to wait until tomorrow to see their first coat.

The howdahs themselves however weren't so unlucky, with the first few layers being applied. Being heavily textured they're perfect for drybrushes - I started with a basecoat of Dryad Bark, then washed with Agrax Earthshade. After that was dry, I drybrushed them again with Dryad Bark and then a lighter drybrush of Mournfang Brown. Tomorrow I'll give them the final drybrush of Karak Stone, a very light one, just to finish the effect off.

Always looking for perfect painting efficiency, I kept myself busy whilst the Agrax wash was drying. I applied the first basecoat of Incubi Darkness and Daemonette Hide to Arachnarok 3 and washed the skin with Leviathan Purple. I also washed Arachnarok 2's skin with Reikland Flesh, when this spider's skin is done it'll hopefully look horrifyingly human. 

Finally, I finished off Arachnarok 1's eyes with a coat of gloss. Now her eyes shine as brightly as her dice rolls (hopefully!)

Join me next time as I continue my work and scuttle my way to painting victory!

arach howdah.jpg

arach shiny eyes.jpg

icky skin colour.jpg

no deathworld forest.jpg

purple arach.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Chunk said:

My scuttling habits were once a matter known only to me and my wife, but now it seems I have inadvertently revealed my dark secret.

As Chunk awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin...

Keep up the good work. That albino spider is absolutely disgusting... But in a good way. I'm sure the other two will be equally icky once you've given them some love too.

Any chance you could give us a step by step on how you did the eyes?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Thain said:

As Chunk awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin...

Keep up the good work. That albino spider is absolutely disgusting... But in a good way. I'm sure the other two will be equally icky once you've given them some love too.

Any chance you could give us a step by step on how you did the eyes?

Sure! It's a pretty easy process - basecoat of Mephiston Red, recess wash of Druchii Violet, then neaten with Mephiston Red if necessary and apply a gloss varnish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update times!

Work continues apace, in fact the three Arachnaroks are nearing completion!

All my special models need names, and these big spiders are no different. I've decided to name them after the three Greek Fates. 

The yellowish-bone Arach is Clotho, the fate who spins the thread of life. The palest Arach is Lachesis, the fate who determines how long you live. Finally, the blue/purple Arach is Atropos, the fate who cuts the thread of life. 

The whole spinning/picking/cutting threads seems pretty appropriate, given the nature of arachnids as peerless spinners themselves, so I'm pretty happy with the theme.

I also made progress with the goblins and the howdah, both are (I estimate) about halfway done. After the Arachnaroks are done all I'll need to do is 10 more spider riders and the 20 scuttlings, which shouldn't take toooooo long. 

Join me next time as I suddenly develop acute arachnophobia, a hurdle to be sure. I keep painting though, I just scream in terror constantly.

Atropos.jpg

Lachesis.jpg

goblin progress 2.jpg

howdah progress 2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This made me laugh to tears. But beeing now in Australia for 3 months I think that newspaper must have been moulded in sigmarite..

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Edit:[mention=1384]Chunk[/mention] - just realised you are from Australia;) if you need some extra spiders for your army go to Australian Museum in Sydney. They have a lot in the shop there;)

cf644c816b9781b3ecbc1cf6cab2d5c5.jpg

I went to the exhibition day after a huntsman spider jumped on my in a hotel room. On day#4 in Australia;) didn't have a newspaper big enough;)

Cheers

 

Edit2:just made some disaster editing the posts;)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Thain yes, they were indeed female! Female spiders tend to be larger than the males (I think, I ain't no arachnologist), which is also appropriate given the side of these things.

@Solaris sure! Have a look at the pictures below.

@meet.the.doctor Welcome to Australia! It's really not as dangerous as people think, I haven't been threatened by venomous wildlife in...several minutes at least! 

In seriousness, huntsman spiders are...alright. They're not in my top 10 certainly, and their bites hurt like hell, but at least they're not venomous. White tails on the other hand... *shudder*.

Anyway, on with the update!

More progress photos!

The Spider Sisters are complete! Huzzah! Please ignore the blu-tack on the goblins' feet, I have run out of super glue temporarily, so they'll be properly attached once I re-stock. The photos don't really show it but there is a fairly significant colour difference between Clotho and Lachesis, it's much more evident in person.

Now all I need to do is the shamans (shamen?) and 10 more spider riders, plus any grot scuttlings I want to add in. Oh, I seem to've misplaced a spider rider, which means I'll have to improvise something else. I'm thinking taking one of the spare spear-wielding crew and making a Spider Wrangler to fill out one of the units. All the Arachnarok kits come with a frankly ridiculous amount of smaller (relatively) spiders so making it properly swarmy shouldn't be a problem.

Atropos (2).JPG

Lachesis (2).JPG

Clotho.JPG

Group photo.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They look great, really cool! Female spiders are indeed larger and generally less pleasant than male ones (not that males are pleasant either though). In fact, you could have the three Arachnaroks as the female Fates, and make all the tiny ones their scuttling male suitors. Man, I'm totally inspired to add some Spiderfang to my army now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Arachnaroks are done! What a job!

Now all that's left is 10 spider riders and 20 grot scuttlings (or so). I'm wondering what colour scheme to go with for the scuttlings. They all wear large cloaks so I could just paint them in a similar scheme to the spiders, but there might be a better way. 

Once I'm done with all of them I'll post up a group photo, probably on a gaming table with terrain instead of my cluttered desk. 

I'm wondering whether Spiderfang will get a battletome of their very own. They seem to be mentioned a fair bit in the various campaign books that've been released thus far, so I reckon they have a shot. What new units could be added though? Ah, speculation. 

 

Clotho final.JPG

Atropos final.JPG

Lachesis final.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello again!

I have been unseasonably busy recently, but I managed to squeeze in some painting time all the same.

My final unit of spider riders have had their mounts completed. Being the brood/potential male suitors of Atropos they share her colouration, a dark greenish blue. I have made them slightly darker than Atry by washing them with Druchii Violet first. My thinking is that spiders, much like the common or garden potato, get lighter as they age. So an old spider (like an Arachnarok) would be lighter in colour than a younger spider. 

Also pictured are the pile of spider riders and grot scuttlings I still have to paint. I have 16 scuttlings from eBay but I need to round out the unit to a nice even 20. I reckon grabbing a few of the smaller spiders and putting them on their own 25mm bases to fill out the unit would probably work, and look pretty cool! I just need to find the right size spiders. 

I'll be having a game against either Ironjawz or Disciples of Tzeentch this Thursday, so that should be a good trial run for the Tribe! Hopefully my Destruction dice get here before then, I'd like the extra ju ju.

Pile o goblins.JPG

Scuttlings.JPG

Atropos' Spiders.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been a bit busy and absent from the forums so had a catchup, and must say these are fabulous! I found painting one arachnarok a pain let alone three, and they look fantastic, great work. I think if grots get an update, as with other AoS factions they will focus on the really cool features of them. Spiderfang I think would be more than likely to be the first grots to get sigmarred.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't have time to mention last night, but with those spider riders now complete I can field a fully painted Spiderfang Venom Mob!

I'm going to set them all up and take some closer-in photos so you can see the detail and how I've painted them all a bit more clearly, since most of the photos try to get the whole unit/model in and have to be a bit further away.

I've also got a 1000pt practice game against a friend today, I'll be bringing:

Grot Big Boss on Gigantic Spider

3 x 10 Grot Spider Riders

Arachnarok with Shaman

Adds up to 980pts. I'd like to field the Venom Mob but there's just not enough points to spare! Maybe next time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...