Coven throne/mortis engine kit

[Ademo]

Hi all, I'm considering starting a death force and taking a short break from my destruction army. I really like the look of the malignants box as the nighthaunt flavour really catches me. I'm thinking about stripping down the mortis engine and using it a bit more creatively to benefit the army.

So a few questions:

1) I've seen a few people using the banshees in the kit to make banshees on foot (well...you know what I mean). How easy is this to do? Are they single on the sprue or do they need any hacking?

2) The spirit base appears to be black knights and skelly warriors are these all moulded together and are the details flat on the inside? Basically, any chance of picking out single minis from the host?

3) Any ideas for the vampires and necromancer?

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[ElectricPaladin]

Just now, Ademo said:

1) I've seen a few people using the banshees in the kit to make banshees on foot (well...you know what I mean). How easy is this to do? Are they single on the sprue or do they need any hacking?

The bigger problem is going to be affixing them to a base, as they don't have "legs" or even a a clear flat spot on the bottom. 

The slightly smaller problem is why would you want to remove the banshees? They're awesome. I think the banshees turning overhead really add to the mortis engine's look. You can get the same banshees pretty cheap on eBay.

38 minutes ago, Ademo said:

2) The spirit base appears to be black knights and skelly warriors are these all moulded together and are the details flat on the inside? Basically, any chance of picking out single minis from the host?

I'm not sure what you mean by the spirit base being black knights and skeleton warriors - the black knights and skeleton warrior kits have nothing to do with the spirit host kit. As far as the trio of spirits on each spirit host base, they are each made of multiple bits, but they don't really stand up on their own. Also, not sure what you'd do with individual spirits, as the whole point of a spirit host is that it's many spirits buzzing around together. It might be economical to mount each one separately on a big base and call it a spirit host, but it would look like garbage.

 

39 minutes ago, Ademo said:

3) Any ideas for the vampires and necromancer?

I think you really need a corpsemaster on your mortis engine. He's the one who opens up the casket containing the necromancer's remains!

The vampires, on the other hand, can easily be mounted sidesaddle on a horse model to make a decent mounted necromancer or vampire lord (lady?). Though you'll need to do some conversion to put a staff or sword in her hand. I've done that, myself, though I've ended up having to buy a Dark Elf sorceress for the arms...

[Ademo]

Ah sorry not sure I was clear - I was more meaning not using the engine in the army but exploring ways the kit would still be useful as an engine wouldn't fit in to a pure nighthaunt army. By spirits on the base I mean the spirits that the engine is floating on which are a mix of cavalry and infantry.

Basically I'm lookimg for ways to make the most out of the kit without using it as the engine itself - and thus determine whether the get started box is a good idea. The possibility of making several banshees from it is what got me thinking.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[deynon]

It always the rule: "it counts as if". 

If you want to modify a model cause a particolar theme of your army not be scared about it, simply do it. When the model is the appropriate dimension you have not to wory about it

[ElectricPaladin]

Ah... I see...

25 minutes ago, Ademo said:

Ah sorry not sure I was clear - I was more meaning not using the engine in the army but exploring ways the kit would still be useful as an engine wouldn't fit in to a pure nighthaunt army.

So, if I were you, I would wait before chopping up the mortis engine. So far, all of the Start Collecting! boxes have been viable intros to the army, with a good mix of basic infantry, something a little closer to "elite" or "punchy," and something usable as a leader. The only exception is the Malignants box (note that it is not the Nighthaunts box). That's conspicuous and... interesting.

My personal opinion/prediction is that we will see the Nighthaunts go the way of the dodo, to be replaced by a new faction/keyword/battletome called Malignants. The box that we have got - which is the only box that includes models that can't be used together - will stay the same, but the context will change so that it becomes something actually usable as an army.

That's my prediction. YMMV.

That said, I do think that it should be possible to turn the four big side pieces into slightly weird-looking spirit hosts, though like the banshees, mounting them on bases will be challenging. I've seen some pretty cool conversions using plasticard to make floating "steps" for the corpsemaster to be standing on, though if you want a more "realistic" look you might do better just to hack the bottom of his cloak on and recreate it with greenstuff. I bet the gondola would make a cool bit of terrain.

[Vasshpit]

1 hour ago, Ademo said:

1) I've seen a few people using the banshees in the kit to make banshees on foot (well...you know what I mean). How easy is this to do? Are they single on the sprue or do they need any hacking?

The Spirit hosts come with tombstone scenery bits. You could secure the banshees using these to make three separate ones with a bit of cut and paste.

1 hour ago, Ademo said:

2) The spirit base appears to be black knights and skelly warriors are these all moulded together and are the details flat on the inside? Basically, any chance of picking out single minis from the host?

I understand what your asking. They're  two large separate pieces and would require lots of work to remove separate models from each. I wouldn't want want to get into that.

1 hour ago, Ademo said:

3) Any ideas for the vampires and necromancer?

 

The vampires could be made to count as single model vampire lords with some green stuff work or apply the top halves to another models set of legs perhaps.

The necromancer could be made into a single model pretty easily.

Just have to make the base like the stairs, or use bits of stairs, so the robe sits properly. Or til it down.

Good luck!

[Mr.Moe]

I got a question regarding the topic aswell as I'm thinking about adding a Coven Throne to my Army: how tall is it? (in cm if possible ) I'm worrying about transportation! Maybe magnetize it so the top part comes off? 

[Craptrain]

8 minutes ago, Mr.Moe said:

I got a question regarding the topic aswell as I'm thinking about adding a Coven Throne to my Army: how tall is it? (in cm if possible ) I'm worrying about transportation! Maybe magnetize it so the top part comes off? 

It's right about 20cm in height.  I think if you wanted to magnetize it the best way would be so that the steps can be separated from the spirit swarm.

[ElectricPaladin]

Battlefoam can give you foam with a cutout shaped so you can lay it on its side.

[Mr.Moe]

Thanks, I already got a big Toolbox for my Army but its only about ~15 cm high, I can either try to put it against the wall sideways or magnetise the model so it can be put in there in 2 parts. I magnetised all my army thus far so I'm not keen on using foam, but thanks!