ewar's Tomb Kings - The Emerald Legion of Dja

[ewar]

Hey all,

My first plog of 2012 and also my first new fantasy army in 3 years. This time it's the Nehekharan undead, which will hopefully make a change from all those other undead plogs and their squishy zombies. The goal is to have 3,000pts painted by the end of the year and to take them to a GT, though I haven't decided yet which one. I'll also be taking part in a mini 3 person escalation campaign, based on Blood in the Badlands, but as we don't get to play too often it won't be the fastest moving campaign you've ever seen! Still, should be good for motivating those small updates.

I will only be buying more minis when the last lot are painted - I've suffered from bulk purchase syndrome in the past, which has meant boxes of unpainted (even unopened) models - avoiding that is priority number one...

Anyway, so far the list is made up as follows:

Green = painted
Yellow = built
Red = bought

Tomb Prince Sekhmet (from warsphinx)
Hierophant High Liche Priest Neheb (using Apophas model cos he's an amazing sculpt)
Herald BSB, Necrotect, 4 Priests, 2 Royals
Liche Priest Thesh
26 Warriors
24 Warriors
23 Archers
7 Archers
3 Chariots
Necrolith Colossus
2 Tomb Scorpions
3 Chariots
7 Horse Archers
3 Necro Knights
1 Warsphinx
1 Necrosphinx
Casket of Souls

I'm still working out a colour scheme, but here is a pic of the tester skellie I painted today. Quite pleased with him (especially considering how quickly he was painted! Compared to my LM this is going to be unbelievably fast progress). The colour for the army will be black with dark green shading for clothes, gems and constructs. I'm also trying to paint verdigris on the equipment, as I want them to look old and decrepit. Shields will obviously be added at the end...

Let me know your thoughts.

thanks,
ewar

[Cragum]

Like the rust on your first model, works really well.

[ewar]

Like the rust on your first model, works really well.

Cheers, glad you like it. I picked the ugliest model to use as a tester piece, so hopefully the rest will be a bit nicer. I'll get some pics up tonight of the WIP unit fillers, though I might have got a bit carried away for such a small unit at the moment!

Anyway, in the meantime, here is the fluff piece I've written for the army (I do this with all my armies, helps to give them character I think).

The tomb was cool and still, gentle ripples of sunlight pierced the gloom, reflecting off gold and bronze wall coverings from the entrance and highlighting motes of dust dancing in the air. The chamber was long, with rows of fluted columns lining the processional path from the entrance to the grand dais at the back. Towering statues stood hidden in shadow, their jackal and vulture faces barely discernible from the glint of light on their giant ceremonial blades.

Mounted at the top of a flight of pyramidal steps was a throne, seated on which was the hulking form of King Mentuhotep. His mummified body sat completely still, desiccated limbs draped in faded finery and tarnished gold ornaments. Bronze armour covered the torso, turquoise verdigris adding colour to the otherwise dull grey body.

The whistle of the desert wind could be heard faintly in the chamber, even buried as it was at the heart of the great pyramid of Dja. Grains of sand and dust stirred around the entrance way with every push and pull of the wind, as if the great monument itself was breathing slowly. Each rasping breath redolent of the former lives it housed.

Suddenly the stillness was broken by the scrape and rattle of dry bones on sandstone; quiet at first, but getting louder as the source of the noise approached the grand chamber. The figure was pre-empted by its shadow, the hunched form of High Liche Priest Neheb entered the chamber. He clacked and clanked on the paving stones, his staff tapping out his irregular gait, robbed of the once noble vitality he’d enjoyed in life. A sickly green aura surrounded him, leaking from his cadaverous eye sockets and illuminating a small patch of the hall around him.

Finally he reached the King’s dais and prostrated himself, forehead pressed to the ground. Mentuhotep stirred imperceptibly, his head turning slowly towards Neheb.

“Why have you come before me, High Priest?” The voice boomed into Neheb’s mind; the chamber remaining utterly silent.

His face still pressed to the ground, the priest replied “Great and mighty King Mentuhotep, ruler of Dja, King of the Four Lands, Chosen of Ptra, Overlord of Sea and Sky, Despot of the Qa’arian tribes, Exalted –“
“For WHAT do you disturb my rest?” This time the silent shout was accompanied by a flare of white light from Mentuhotep’s eyes; the sudden light illuminating the towering onyx statuary like a lightning strike. To an impartial, and no doubt very brave, observer the imperious forms almost seemed to move forward at the King’s cry.

“My Lord, the oasis at Amsiris is defiled by an army encampment and your holy palace at Dj-qa robbed. A force of barbarians from the north has made their way inland from the coast, under a man known in their vile tongue as Von Rachsdorf; Gregor Von Rachsdorf. He is a petty noble from the upstart kingdoms.”
Slowly the skeletal fist of Mentuhotep clenched into a fist before thundering down on the golden arm of his throne, the sound booming around the room. Down again it came, again and again, until it was joined in unison by the crash of marching feet. Columns of undead warriors were marching out of the shadows and in to a file down the throne room. Dust and sand began to stream from the giant statues, the vast onyx and marble edifices coming improbably to life and stepping from their alcoves. Each pace shaking the pyramid to its very core.

“Go to the necropolis, wake my sons and lieutenants. Prepare my golden chariot. It has been too long since the Emerald Legion marched to war.”

“It will be done, my Lord” Neheb rose and backed away from the dais.

“We will hunt down this Von Rachsdorf. We will break down his walls, raze his forts, we will destroy him and his utterly.” Khendjer, the Herald of Dja, stepped out from behind the throne bearing Mentuhotep’s giant bronze blade, the sickle shaped weapon pulsing with magic power. Kneeling he presented the hilt to his master. 400 years had passed since the King had last used his blade, and he felt more invigorated with each passing moment.

“It is time I carved the name of my dynasty upon this new world” he thought.

[Count Zero]

looks good. can't wait to drop a mortar shell on him and his buddies

will be interesting to see how the bases look when you have more lined up.

What colour will the shield be?

[ewar]

Shields will be black, dark green detail and verdigris gold trim.

I'm hoping the bases will have a nice desert feel to them when they're all lined up - the first colour scheme I tried came out much too brown, so I've gone for a much yellower base this time.

Should have some more done tonight to post.

[tarrym]

I like the bases. How did you get the tiled look to the central space?

[ewar]

I like the bases. How did you get the tiled look to the central space?

Thanks, it's the first time I've been bothered to try something a bit more complicated than grit and flock. They're made from embossed plasticard I bought from an online hobby store, they do tonnes of different types. I was going for a kind of sand blown paved road. You can't really make it out from the pics but I've used the new GW tufts as well (dead grass) and I'm really impressed with them.

So, as far as an update goes I'll add some new stuff here. Tonight I've been tinkering with the shield style and colouring for the army - let me know what you think:






I've also been painting the rest of the unit, who are coming along nicely, here are a couple of WIPs:




And finally, here are some shots of the unit fillers I've made:

[Maglok]

I am liking the unit fillers. Gives me some ideas myself.

[Count Zero]

the shield is a bit greener than i was expecting but it looks good.
i like the skellie on top of the ruin, very Harryhausen

the speed you are going i best pull my finger out!

[Shush]

These are really nice, I especially like the way you've managed to age the metals.

I love the skeletons on the ruins I'm looking forward to seeing them painted especially!

Subscribe!

[ewar]

I am liking the unit fillers. Gives me some ideas myself.

I've gone a bit unit filler happy considering I only have one battalion... it means I effectively have a unit of 26 warriors, but ranking them up is pretty tricky between 2 unit fillers and 2 of the long thin unit bases - I didn't really think it through properly! Still, next month I'll add some more warriors (either another Battalion or perhaps just 2 boxes of skellies, depending on free cash). Will mean I have enough then for 2 units of 20 archers and 49 Warriors, so makes a nice core to the army.

the shield is a bit greener than i was expecting but it looks good.
i like the skellie on top of the ruin, very Harryhausen

the speed you are going i best pull my finger out!

I tried to keep it as dark as possible whilst still making it noticeably green - there were a few discarded tries though I'll admit. I think on the rest I'll add more weathering, the one I've done just has a drybrush of graveyard earth and an all over wash of watered devlan. I think I'll try more than one tone of dust to give it a bit more depth.

As for speed mate - the warriors unit will be finished before the end of the week, I can tell you that right now. 23 Archers will be even quicker as there are no shields or much gold to age. The first 500pts is definitely going to be ready for the kick off of the campaign!

[ewar]

Update time!!

I have been working away on the skeleton warrior unit - what looked like a quick job to start with quickly slowed down once the drybrushing on the skeletons was complete...

Anyway, here is the first unit in the Emerald Legion, I haven't come up with a name for them yet, but they will be built up to 50 models over the coming months with the aim of adding at least one more unit of 50 basic warriors and probably 3 units of 30 archers, depending on how much I can cope with painting verdigris.

As always, c&c is welcome.

[ewar]

[Count Zero]

looking good bud. that's still quick progress even if the finishing it off takes a bit longer.

[ewar]

looking good bud. that's still quick progress even if the finishing it off takes a bit longer.

Cheers - they have been fast to do, though I've also been painting A LOT this week, at least 3 hours a night - really got the bug back at the moment.

I don't understand why people hate on the TK skellie models so much, I really think they're nice when ranked up - am I being blind or is the hate not deserved!?

[Maglok]

Why is there one spearskellie in there?

I do love me some skeletons myself. Good job. Like the bases as well. More please.

[ewar]

Why is there one spearskellie in there?

I do love me some skeletons myself. Good job. Like the bases as well. More please.

Haha, just cos I felt like mixing up the weapons a bit - no reason a spear can't be a hand weapon right?! I probably won't make a spear unit given the silly cost for skeletons (50pts for a unit is daft when you lose the parry save on top).

I've been looking through your plogs as well - the terrain one is awesome. Before I saw yours, I'd thought about buying the hirst arts molds, but will definitely get them now. I'm planning to build an 8x4 gaming board as I like bigger games and the 6x4 I've got feels too restrictive. I think Great Pyramid of Dja needs to be built!

Got my first game with TKs tomorrow - one at 500 and another at 750 as a warm up before the start of our campaign. Should be interesting as my model choice is pretty limited!

[Maglok]

Good luck tomorrow!

8x4? Nice, gotta cut it in two bits then?

And I did make the 'mistake' of building spear skellies first. Every match sort of starts like this "These are hand weapons, really"

[ewar]

Hey,

Games went well - 2 played and 2 won (though the first 500 pointer was all on the dice, as my friends wizard did a dimensional cascade taking 3/4 of his unit out, which at that points level basically handed the game over to me). Still, it was fun finally getting the Tomb Kings out onto the field.

Stuff I liked:
- archers really did well, loving the Arrows of the Asp rules
- Restless Dead attribute completely saved game 2, with AOE effects going off at least once per turn the Empire just couldn't kill all my chariots in one phase, then I'd bring them all right back. Don't think he liked that bit

Stuff I didn't like
- no marching was a pain and I forgot about it for the first 2 turns of game 1 without realising
- Sphinx dying to massed halberdiers, T8 isn't all that against S4 these days, though I might have been a bit cavalier throwing him against a horde of 40 on his own!

Update time anyway!

Here is some stuff I've been working on - our Badlands campaign map which we'll be kicking off with in 3 weeks (pics is from my phone this time, so a bit rubbish)


And my finished unit fillers:





And all together:


As always, c&c is much appreciated.

Currently now working on: 23 archers.

[Sicarius the 2nd]

Your finished skellies look fantastic well done, really like the colour scheme and I am a massive fan of unit fillers and I really like yours. Keep up the good work, looking forward to see how you tackle the warsphinx?
Andy