February Entry - Armored Skeletons (Rank & File pt. 2)
For February I finished the remainder of the regiment of armored skeleton infantry I started in January, including a standard bearer & musician. This time it is a mix of Harlequin/Black Tree (first pic) and Citadel (second pic).
Bonus Figures
"It's called an entourage."
But why?
"I don't know. Seems sort of odd to me, but there's a lot I don't understand about The Liche."
So who are they?
"The grumpy little brute is Purple Nurple. The other they call Rainbow Death.."
...
"No, that's not their Names. That's just what the Others are calling them. I have no idea. The Don and his Circle keep to themselves. I don't think the rider is actually animated. I think it's just some sort of ornament for the unicorn. Apparently they were both friends of his in life. He brought them back"
Not as creepy as Phil the Spectre, at least.
"Agreed."
Field of Bones
... and also to raise them to do my bidding.
Tumulus
Themed terrain. I've been wanting to try this for a while. Not bad. I would like to try a larger and better planned tumulus at some point.
Simon
"I really, really don't know."
Simon the Toxic Skeleshroom: "Aaaaaaaaagggggggghhhhhhh! Eat me! Aaaaaaaaggggghhhhh!"
Painting
I had a number of comments about the bone colors last time. I like some variety in the bone colors, so this is a quick & dirty explanation. When batch painting I will use 3-4 shade of white or light tan as a base coat. Then I "shuffle" the figures, and use various washes over those base colors. Sometimes I will mix two washes directly on the figure while they are still wet. Maybe even applying one to the top par, another to the bottom, and letting them blend in the middle. The effect is subtle but noticeable.
I also had comments about the rust. I previously posted a step by step of my rust process on my personal blog.
Colossus of Korg Peak
You finally returned. What came of the Liche's mountain venture?
"You know of the Colossus of Korg Point, right?"
Of course. I may not be nearly as old as you, but I know my history and legends.
"He found him."
The Colossus? He's real!?
"Oh, he's real. Frozen for millennia in mountain ice. Remarkably well preserved, in fact."
So he brought him back? With an unstoppable force like that, we could...
"Well yes... but also no. He performed the animation spell, but the brute couldn't free himself from the ice. We had to dig the giant out. There were... problems. The animated dead are not exactly talented or delicate laborers. The ice fractured, the body separated, such waste..."
That should be no problem, the process of binding...
"No, the damage was done. He could not recover it complete. Most of the torso writhed and fell into a chasm before it could be brought under control. I'm sure it will turn up eventually in some poor valley hamlet. But it was not a complete loss. We returned with... parts."
What do you mean?
"We returned with some pieces of the animated corpse."
...
"So the Master had one hand staked in place outside his tumulus. It's still animated,
so there's that. Not really a weapon. Maybe it's a... Really, I don't
know, I don't get it. It's mostly just pinned there. I think I might even feel bad for it. I think it's bored. Occasionally someone or something will get close and it will flail about, maybe smash something. It's getting really good at sitting perfectly still then crushing between its fingers any bird unfortunate enough to land on it."
"The other hand is on the Middenheim Road harassing
travelers in a similar manner. Word has got out, though and most travelers just circumvent the thing. Both feet are creating an unbearable stink to the south. One is hidden in the ventilation tunnels of Karak Ghorne. You
should see what he did with the Colossus's privates."
*Scream of Karl-Franz heard echoing in distant Altdorf*
OK. So where does this leave us? What strategic good will this do?
"Strategic good? Hahaha. I would just disregard it. Carry on as if the Colossus was never discovered. The Liche may be a mad genius, but not all of his plans are what most of us would call practical."
Ohhhhh Kaaaaaay. So what is this I heard about some sort of vicious birds?
Point Counts
I'm going a bit off the tracks. Initially I was only going to count the figures that I had planned from the start. But I think I would like to track what sort of a force I will end up with, so I'm going to re-start the calculations & include the extras, though I'm only going to include the bare minimums for most characters.
January Rank & File Month
13 Skeletons with light armour, shield, spear....... 182 pts
1 Nightmare Legion with light armour, shield, spear....... 14 pts
1 Phil the Spectre.....................................................200 pts.
January Total (revised): 396 pts
Februrary Rank & File Month
12 Skeletons with light armour, shield, spear, musician, standard....... 196 pts
Lv. 5 Hero w/ Undead Horse w/H. Arm., Shield, Barding............................................ 48 pts
Lv. 5 Hero w/ Undead Horse w/:. Arm, Shield, Lance (shhhh... they think they're a unicorn & noble rider).. 45 pts
February Total: 289 pts
Grand Total: 685 pts
