ISSUE 51
17 January 2015

Editor: Jes Bickham
jes@whitedwarf.co.uk

Publisher: Paul Lyons
paul@whitedwarf.co.uk

What’s bigger, nastier and altogether deadlier than a Rat Ogre? A Stormfiend, that’s what! Throt the Unclean’s latest foul creations are the ultimate expression of Clan Moulder’s hideous flesh-warping expertise, giant monstrosities bristling with arcane weaponry. You can see them in all their glory over the page and, if you’re anything like us, you’ll be clamouring to add as many as you can, quick-quick, to your Skaven End Times army.

We’ve also got an extensive four-page painting guide to this magnificent kit – as well the full rules for ’em – along with an exploration of Clan Moulder and a look at building the End Times army known as Thanquol’s Uprising. It’s a real treat for fans of the Horned Rat. Enjoy the issue!

Next week we turn our gaze downwards, for what evil rests uneasily beneath our feet? See you in seven days!

The insane invention of the maniacal slave-warpers of Clan Moulder, Stormfiends are Rat Ogres of giant proportions and a surprising, sickening intellect. Bred for destruction and armed with the most powerful weapons in the Under-Empire, these brutes are the Skaven’s deadliest creations yet.

The Skaven will plumb the darkest of depths in their experiments to create the ultimate killing machines, not merely from iron and warp-forged metal but by cross-breeding monstrosities and manipulating the flesh of their victims. The Stormfiends are the ultimate expression of this demented obsession, gruesome goliaths created from the mad visions of Throt the Unclean, Master Moulder of Hell Pit.

The Stormfiends are a brand new set of three plastic models for the Skaven army, each of which possesses a monstrous physique capable of ripping Orcs limb from limb and shrugging off grievous injuries. Their bodies are a latticework of scars and stitches, the cobbled together remains of creatures grown large on warpstone and selected for bulk, brawn and savagery. Their fists are replaced with lethal techno-arcane weapons that could only be managed by beasts of their prodigious strength. It takes two Skaven to carry a single ratling gun, but a Stormfiend can bear three even bigger and nastier ratling cannons. The warpfire projectors, grinderfists and other weapons are similarly fearsome and gigantic. Each Stormfiend is equipped with one of these six deadly weapons – one armed with either windlaunchers or warpfire projectors, another with ratling cannons or grinderfists, and the third with shock gauntlets or doom-flayer gauntlets.

The Stormfiends produced in Clan Moulder’s earliest experiments were uncomprehendingly stupid, unable to effectively use their weapons, but Throt solved this problem by surgically attaching a tiny, specially-bred packmaster to each Stormfiend (see the repulsive detail photos overleaf). These stunted creatures, their brains mutated to ludicrous proportions, are wired to their host through the agonising application of a warp-powered harness and coils that connect each packmaster to the Stormfiend he controls.

Above: Commanded by the furious shrieks of a Grey Seer atop a Screaming Bell, a trio of Stormfiends stride forth to make their mark upon the End Times. Can anyone stand against the latest insane creations of Throt the Unclean, or will the children of the Horned Rat finally inherit the world?

Above: This Stormfiend is armed with a windlauncher, a short-ranged mortar-fist capable of lobbing glowing orbs filled with deadly poison gas directly into the foe. In case of accidents, the Stormfiend has been equipped with a crude gas mask, while on his shoulders sits a pair of pressurised bladders to power the mortar’s pneumatic action.

Above; Warpfire projectors are larger, more dangerous, variants of the feared warpfire throwers used to sear the flesh from the enemy in blazing green gouts of fire. Wildly unpredictable, warpfire throwers are considered a worthwhile risk, since entire regiments can be reduced to screaming, burning ruin with a well-placed salvo.

Left: Nestled behind the Stormfiend’s hulking, armoured body is the packmaster, his brain swollen (and his body wizened and atrophied) by the warpcraft of the Master Moulder. Without this stunted Skaven controlling the Stormfiends’ efforts, they would revert to utter insanity and attack the nearest creatures, friend or foe.

Right: Ratling cannons are rightly feared across the length and breadth of the Warhammer world, and those carried by the Stormfiends are even larger and more powerful, loosing a torrent of warp-bullets at a furious rate.

Above: Grinderfists are drills fashioned from a spike of warpstone, specially adapted warp-grinders that not only carve flesh with the force of a jackhammer but also enable the Stormfiends to burrow beneath the ground to ambush their foes.

Above: Perhaps the strangest of the weapons borne into battle by the Stormfiends are the shock gauntlets and warpstone-laced armour. This generates a tremendous warp lightning charge which arcs out to zap nearby foes, and makes the clubbing fists of the Stormfiend even more powerful than usual.

Above: The Shock gauntlets have a serrated blade attached to them, so that when the Stormfiend bludgeons its victims, it can also hook on tight and hold them against the warp lightning projectors (causing a painful death as the victim convulses, trapped in electrified agony)

Above: Doom-flayer gauntlets are essentially huge spiked metal clubs, each as big as a man’s torso. Driven by powerful internal motors, these turn the Stormfiend into a deadly tunnel fighter, capable of mauling shieldwalls with relentless, crushing blows of his fists.

Above: Designed to wreak havoc in the close confines of tunnels or narrow streets, Stormfiends armed with doom-flayer gauntlets have their armour equipped with lots of spinning blades. These whirl relentlessly, slicing flesh with razor-keen edges as the Stormfiend barges its way through the enemy.

Those who have fought against the Skaven have learned to fear the arcane power of their weapons, bizarre creations of the maniacal scientists of Clan Skryre. Even by the standards of the Imperial College or the Engineers Guilds of the Dwarfs, the ‘wonder weapons’ of Clan Skryre are baffling in their design, harnessing the chaotic power of warpstone and the Skaven’s innovative flair for death and destruction. From warpfire throwers that vomit searing streams of corrosive balefire, lighting the gloom with a lambent green glow even as it eats through flesh and armour, to ratling guns that chatter out a hail of deadly, warp-laced shots at a devilish pace, each is intended to slaughter the foe with absolute efficiency. Such innovation has become the hallmark of Clan Skryre, and the other clans are willing to pay handsomely for it.

In contrast to Clan Skryre, for Clan Moulder it is a nightmare trade in the breeding of vile warbeasts that has seen their meteoric rise to power in the Under-Empire. Deep in the confines of Hell Pit, horrific selective breeding and judicious application of warpstone creates creatures of terrible size and temperament. This, just as with the amazing arsenal of Clan Skryre, ranks as one of the Skaven race’s greatest advantages. The Skaven have truly cornered the market in manufacturing organic abominations and when these two elements are combined, it produces a force that few can hope to stand against on the battlefield.

The greatest example of this fusion of Skaven technology are the Stormfiends, hunched brain-Skaven sat in pods on their muscular backs. These repellent creatures, each wired into the brain of the dumb brute carrying them, enable the deadliest weapons to be unleashed by a creature both fiercely intelligent and unnaturally strong. Armed with the best weapons of Clan Skryre, Stormfiends are the ultimate fusion of warped flesh and technology.

Prepare yourself for the most harrowing book of the End Times so far. If you thought the events that take place in Warhammer: Khaine were shocking, wait until you read Warhammer: Thanquol.

Deep beneath the surface of the world, the Skaven have been preparing for the Great Uprising – the day they claim the world in the name of the Horned Rat. Having despoiled Tilea and Estalia, however, the Skaven have fallen into old habits and the entire race sits on the brink of civil war (again). As war rages above, the Grey Seers and the Greater Clans enact their own plans to bring about the ruination of the world. But one amongst them has his own ideas. Having summoned Skreech Verminking, the most powerful Verminlord of all time, Grey Seer Thanquol begins to put his own diabolical plan into motion…

As you’d expect from the Skaven, Warhammer: Thanquol is full of cataclysmic events that will leave you shocked by their savagery. The Empire is closer to destruction than it could possibly imagine, and the Skaven’s ancient rivals the Dwarfs know only too well how close their own fate looms. The only relief from the never-ending violence and destruction is the dark humour that runs through the two books. Every now and again you catch yourself laughing at the absurdity of it all. Then you realise it’s really going to happen, that it’s not a ridiculous ploy and that the Skaven could well take over the world – or destroy it in the process.

Alongside the story presented in Book I, there’s also a host of excellent new gaming material in Book II. It features rules for the new Skaven units, including the Verminlords and Grey Seer Thanquol, plus new rules for fighting in the overgrown depths of Lustria. There are also six narrative scenarios presented in the book, following the all-out assault by Clan Pestilens on Lustria, the ongoing three-way war beneath Karak Eight Peaks and the final battle of Nuln. Yet these epic events are nothing compared to what takes place in the book’s concluding chapters. The world is ending, and the Skaven will have their piece of it. Make sure you get yours too.

Grey Seers are the prophets of the Horned Rat. White or grey of fur, they are powerful sorcerers rightly feared by other Skaven. It is through their plotting and scheming that fractious Skaven Clans unite, invasions are undertaken and the Horned Rat’s will is done.

Like their patron deity, Grey Seers are invariably horned, a trait unique to them among the Skaven race. Such a sign of divine favour sees them regarded with both fear and awe by other Skaven. As a result, they often command positions of great power throughout the Under-Empire, a status the Grey Seers are more than willing to exploit for their own ends.

This plastic Grey Seer sports a particularly impressive set of ridged horns, a sure sign of his power. In the crook of his arm he carries his symbol of office, a gnarled wooden staff hung with warpstone tokens, a tiny bell hanging from the cross-hatched rune of the Grey Seers that makes up its head. There are also two rat familiars on the frame, one perched atop the staff clutching another warpstone token and a second attack rat attached to an alternative right hand.

In his clawed hand the Grey Seer holds a scrying stone, a polished orb made from the gallstone of a fearsome Blindwyrm, while at his waist hangs a warp scroll, one of the Skaven’s deadliest artefacts

Left: Whether due to injury or through choice, the Grey Seer’s eye has been replaced by a huge chunk of warpstone, its malign energy feeding directly into his brain.

Right: The Grey Seer wears the august rune of the grey Seers around his neck, a warning to all Skaven (if they were in any doubt) of his immense power and influence.Above, The six scenarios in Book II represent the major battles that take place in the narrative book.

Skaven Warlords are the largest and most ruthless of their kind; cruel creatures who have made their way to the top through escalating levels of brute strength, cunning, bribery and (most importantly) treachery. It is at their command that Skaven armies march to war.

The path to becoming a Skaven Warlord is fraught with danger and cannot be attempted by any weakling Clanrat. Indeed, only the largest and meanest Stormvermin have any chance of becoming a Fangleader, and only the most cunning of them will ever obtain the rank of Chieftain.

This plastic Warlord is an especially well-muscled, long-fanged warrior, a sure sign that he made his way to the top through excessive violence. Like most Skaven Warlords he wears a heavy suit of armour and a chainmail skirt beneath his tattered robes; ample protection against the blades of his enemies (and those of his own troops should they feel the need to disobey his orders or usurp his power).

In one hand the Warlord wields an immense falchion-like blade that mirrors the one welded to the top of his helm. No doubt both will be used for killing his foes. As a further mark of his prestige, he bears an impressive back banner that can be painted in your chosen clan colours, the rune of the Horned rat nailed to the top above a mouldering skull.

Left: Skaven Warlords have the pick of the scavenge-pile and can often be found carrying some form of magical weapon (often belonging to their predecessor).

Right: This Warlord is accompanied by a Rat Hound, an aggressive critter that scurries around his belt, ready to pounce when the enemy gets too close.

Forge World make highly-detailed resin models, large-scale kits and books for Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 and the Horus Heresy. This week we look at two new units for the Horus Heresy Solar Auxilia, the Veletaris Storm Section and the Auxilia Flamer Section.

Left: The 10-man Solar Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section (nine of which carry volkite chargers) is led by a Prime, armed with laspistol and power fist.

Right: The Auxilia Flamer Section includes nine Auxiliaries with flamers and a Sergeant with hand flamer and power axe.

By various authors
Hardback | 144 pages

A collection of five short stories that weave tightly into the grand narrative of the Horus Heresy.

First released as an event exclusive at the 2014 Warhammer Fest, Death and Defiance is now available on general release and also for digital download in ePub and Mobi formats. The book contains five compact, exciting tales that act as bridging stories within the Horus Heresy. While they serve admirably as stand-alone shorts, for fans of the series they provide precious context for the wider narrative.

From the reaction of a Space Wolves watch pack, despatched to vouchsafe the loyalty of the Emperor’s Praetorian, to a sinister game of regicide between Ferrus Manus and Fulgrim, the stories each give you a precious insight into the characters and schemes at play in the Heresy. This is a richly rewarding collection of tales.

FURTHER READING

The Horus Heresy series has featured several cracking anthologies of short stories, so if Death and Defiance has whetted your appetite for some compact tales from the darkest days in the Imperium, check out the full range at: www.blacklibrary.com

By Graham McNeill
Paperback | 624 pages

Volume 29 in the Heresy series sees the Sons of Horus at the forefront of the action.

The world of Molech conceals something of vital importance to the Warmaster’s schemes, something so precious to the Emperor of Mankind that he erased it from the memories of his sons. It is a prize that will not come easily, however, as an Imperial Fleet, millions of soldiers, Imperial Knight houses and loyal Legiones Astartes stand in the Warmaster’s path.

Available now for the first time in paperback, Vengeful Spirit is an absolute brick with 624 pages sandwiched in between its bulging covers. This enables the narrative to follow several stories, from the descent into Chaos of House Devine to Horus’s quest for answers, and an especially deadly mission undertaken by Malcador’s Knights Errant.

FURTHER READING

Vengeful Spirit is set well into the Horus Heresy series (which already numbers more than 30 books), so it goes almost without saying that if it tickles your fancy, there is plenty more to enjoy.

Here in the bunker we also wholeheartedly recommend you take a look at the other works of Graham McNeill, who has written about everything from High Elves and the Empire in Warhammer to the Ultramarines and Iron Warriors in the Dark Millennium. Our pick? Look up Storm of Iron.

These Black Library books are also available as eBooks and audiobooks. For more information visit: www.blacklibrary.com

Alongside the startling events of the Skaven conquest of the world, Warhammer: Thanquol includes a quintet of new Battlescrolls, unique formations that can be unleashed in your games of Warhammer. Here we examine one of them: Thanquol’s Uprising.

BATTLESCROLLS

Battlescrolls are designed to represent specific forces present on the battlefields of the Warhammer world, and enable you to recreate them in your own games.

In Warhammer: Thanquol you’ll find four more fantastic Battlescrolls, each representing one of the major forces at play. The Skaven have a second Battlescroll with the First Claw Pack of Clan Mors, representing the elite of Queek Headtaker’s throng battling to control Karak Eight Peaks. The Dwarfs get the Dwarf Throng of Karaz-a-Karak, which is the vanguard of the army that Thorgrim Grudgebearer and Ungrim, Incarnate of Fire, lead forth for vengeance.

Lizardmen get the Red Host, a veritable horde of Skinks and the beasts they drive into battle, all commanded by the prophet of Sotek, Tehenhauin. Finally, the Empire receive the Defenders of Middenheim, an army led by Valten and Gregor Martak that represents the stubborn defiance of the Middenheimers in the face of Archaon’s hordes.

Each of these formations comes with special rules to reflect their valorous (or despicable) deeds in the End Times, from the Stubborn Faith of the Middenheimers to the Great Armouries of Karaz-a-Karak.

When Thanquol was called upon to capture the city of Nuln he did so at the head of a sizeable force of Skaven, drawn from several Warlord Clans, their ‘loyalties’ barter-won at great cost. Although Thanquol now benefitted from the significant patronage of Lord Skreech Verminking, his ascendency was far from certain. Everything hinged on his victory being overwhelming and absolute. For the Skaven under his command, they knew that if they failed, humiliation was the least of their worries – they would surely be at the mercy of their rivals.

Thanquol’s Uprising is a Battlescroll in Warhammer: Thanquol representing the heart of the despicable Grey Seer’s horde in his final attack on Nuln. It enables you to recreate this influential force within your own army. Using a Battlescroll is a simple matter – each lists the requirements you need to add it to your army. In Thanquol’s Uprising, for instance, you have Thanquol and Boneripper, Lord Skreech Verminking, the Lektrik Coven (a special unit made up of between three and 13 Skaven Warlock Engineers) and several other specific Skaven regiments. In its own right, it’s a formidable force on the battlefield, but it also grants the models within the formation a number of special rules throughout your games:

Core Formation: The first special rule for Thanquol’s Uprising is one that each of the Battlescrolls in Warhammer: Thanquol receives. Core Formation means that with this Battlescroll in your force you do not need to add any more Core Units to your army (although you can include lots more if you wish). So, as long as you include Thanquol’s Uprising in your End Times army, you can spend the rest of your points allocation on more Lords, Heroes, Special and Rare units.

Failure is not an Option: Thanquol’s warriors know they are doomed if they fail, and so they are all Unbreakable as long as they remain within 6” of Thanquol and Boneripper (except for Skreech, who’s sense of fear is quite different).

The Lektrik Coven: This special regiment appears in the story of Thanquol, and the Thanquol’s Uprising Battlescroll lets you use it in your games – it’s essentially a gang of Warlock Engineers who all operate as a single regiment, rather than individual models. You have to have at least three (but can have up to a dreaded 13!), and the payoff for doing so is that their ability to cast Warp Lightning as a spell is dramatically enhanced – perfect for zapping the enemy at long range!

Aside from the obvious bonuses the Battlescroll gives you in the game, the biggest lure is the chance to collect an army straight out of the End Times. Thanquol is renowned for his cunning (and making excuses if he loses) and any collector could have a lot of fun with that. The painting and modelling opportunities are also tremendous. Our own Thanquol’s Uprising (see opposite) has nice unified colours of blue-grey and red, but you could take the idea further. Imagine painting Thanquol’s claw-mark on the shields or a coat of Nurgle’s Rot on their swords to make them look like the Slimeblades described fighting for Thanquol in the story.

The Citadel Hall of Fame is a celebration of the finest miniatures in the world, a collection of iconic models recognised for their ground-breaking designs. This month, the children of Asuryan make it a hat-trick of Hall of Fame nominations with the Eldar Farseer.

Eldar Farseers have been around almost as long as the Eldar themselves, first appearing back in the late 1980s during the Rogue Trader era of Warhammer 40,000. Over the following decades, there have been many different Farseer models (10 that we can think of…), from lead to white metal, to Citadel Finecast and, finally, this plastic incarnation.

This Farseer captures many of the design elements of its predecessors, brought up to date with modern Eldar designs. He wears the traditional heavy robes of an Eldar Seer under a ‘suit’ of runic armour that takes the shape of the all-seeing eye, the rune of the Eldar Farseers. Like all Farseers before him, he also has a fully-enclosed, nodule-covered helm that obscures his face, and carries a singing spear, a psychically-charged weapon unique to Eldar psykers and a sign of their esteemed status.

What really stands out about this Farseer, though, is his dynamic stance, a pose only now achievable with plastic manufacturing technology. Every part of the miniature conveys a sense of imminent psychic activity, the Farseer’s robes, trappings and bracelets all sweeping forward, his arm thrown out, fingers splayed ready to launch a psychic barrage at the enemy. It’s a classic look for fantasy wizards perfectly realised in the 41st Millennium. Here is a noble, intelligent warlord, not a bloodthirsty maniac.

This magical, mystical look is enhanced by the way the model is painted. There are a lot of textures on the Farseer, from silken robes and curved alien armour to spirit stones and a crystalline blade, with plenty of space for freehand work. It’s a great miniature to try out a new painting technique or two and really push the boundaries of your painting skills.

Left: The Farseer’s helm is angled aggressively above his eyes, as though the Farseer is frowning with concentration.

Right: The Farseer’s base is covered in Eldar ruins, not just a cool bit of scenery, but also a nod to the tragic downfall of one of the galaxy’s greatest and most powerful races.

Left: From the side you can see the pouches and trinkets hanging from the Farseer’s belt, all of them swinging with the movement of his body.

Right: Witchblades are austere weapons, psychically charged blades rather than powered ones like those wielded by other races. The ’Eavy Metal team paint them to look like highly-reflective crystal, making them appear elegant and unusual – perfect for Eldar psykers.

Of all the many Skaven clans that bicker and vie for supremacy within the Under-Empire, without question the cruellest and most sinister are Clan Moulder, the flesh-warpers of Hell Pit, masters and makers of the world’s most unspeakable horrors.

I was dragged in chains through those cursed gates. The entrance to Hell Pit is a towering portal of crude iron and stone that winks in the bale light of a thousand unnatural gems, and writhes with the agonised throes of the poor wretches nailed to it. ‘Abandon hope’, the psalms carved upon its mantel read, and I did. The screams of the damned, the weeping of my fellow prisoners and the whip-crack of the slave drivers assailed my ears, beating me down in waves of misery, with all the oppressive force of a rainstorm. Everywhere the ratmen scurried, anxious to be about their business: the business of creating monsters.

– From The Testimony of Albrus Veimar

UNLIKELY ALLIES

Both Clan Skryre and Clan Pestilens consider Clan Moulder to be their greatest ally in the squabbles and rivalries among the Skaven. For their part, Clan Moulder have learned to play every side off against the middle – both believe that they get ‘preferential’ barter-prices, and exclusive promises of friendship… at least until Clan Moulder can betray them both and steal their power completely.

Far to the north of Skavenblight, bordering the realms of the Northmen, lies a horror hidden from prying eyes, the nightmare domain of Clan Moulder: Hell Pit.

Of all the places in the mortal realm, Hell Pit is the cruellest, a vile abyss utterly devoid of mercy and fuelled only by greed, spite and the Skaven’s sickening obsession with warping and modifying the flesh of their warbeasts. Underground laboratories harbour the Master Moulders, maniacal geniuses whose macabre talent is the fashioning of mutated beasts. To complete this they employ a grotesque fusion of arcane science, powered by chunks of raw warpstone, and unmentionable unions that would drive a witness insane. Such things are the daily graft of this industrious realm, and it is better not to dwell upon it too long.

Clan Moulder’s remorseless breeding and mutation programme has a two-fold purpose. First and foremost, all Skaven crave power and Clan Moulder has raked in vast stores of warpstone and innumerable slaves in exchange for the warbeasts they create, rising to become one of the greatest Skaven Clans. Every Giant Rat, Wolf Rat, Rat Ogre and Hell Pit Abomination ever to march to war in the hordes of the Skaven owes its existence to the torturous confines of a Clan Moulder breeding pit, and the Warlord Clans vie jealously for the privilege of buying such weapons of war. The second reason for Moulder’s obsession with creating newer, more deadly, monsters is because they are utterly monstrous themselves and derive great joy from the suffering of others. In the nine circles of Hell Pit there is no kindness nor mercy and no act is considered too depraved for the Master Moulders, who go about their work with the enthusiasm and malice of a spoiled child pulling the wings from a fly.

As the Skaven ready themselves to lay claim to the world above their Under-Empire, the skills of Clan Moulder have become ever-more sought after and their preparations increasingly feverish. Clan Moulder’s part in these cunning schemes has required careful cooperation with the Warlocks of Clan Skryre, and while unified labours among Skavenkind are not unheard of it is rare they take place without incident (or end without spectacular violence). It is testament to just how seriously the orders of the Lords of Decay, guided by the hand of Skreech Verminking, are taken that there have been relatively few murders to date. All see the opportunity for what it is: when the Skaven rise up to claim the world, those who contributed most will surely reap rich rewards – and Clan Moulder will certainly steal-take more than its fair share.

THROT THE UNCLEAN

The gigantic three-armed Skaven known as Throt the Unclean is one of the most influential of the nine lords of Hell Pit. Second only in power to Lord Verminkin, the undisputed lord of Clan Moulder, Throt’s incredible inventiveness when it comes to his surgeries ensures his success. During his tenure, he has pioneered all manner of perverse concepts, with a special penchant for brain transplants. Over the years he has created every manner of horror, from Throtlings to Flayerkin, but his greatest work to date must be the unnatural conjoining of packmaster and Rat Ogre to create the Stormfiends.

The practical business of making monsters is one that baffles and appals the human mind, and well it should, for it defies both nature and reason. The Master Moulders are experts in flesh-crafting, and they will readily take the dismembered body parts of disparate creatures and suture them together, replacing organs, bones or entire limbs to make a bigger, more dangerous beast. It it almost unthinkable that such surgeries can succeed, and were it not for the application of warpstone, they surely would not. But shards of evilly glowing warpstone hammered into flesh can cause it to knit together (though the parts come from very different – and sometimes completely unidentifiable – creatures) or grow at an astounding rate. Thus a Rat and an Ogre can be crossbred, with parts of one hacked away and fixed to the other. Such depredations have enabled Clan Moulder to create beasts such as Rat Ogres and Hell Pit Abominations, beasts of war which the Warlord Clans will pay handsomely to have within their armies.

The easiest way to paint Boneripper is to paint his skin first, as it’s the largest area of the model. The key to painting such a large area of skin (a tip that can be applied to other fleshy models such as Giants, Ghorgons and Ogryns), is to keep your paint watered down. A drop of water added to the paint on your palette will help you apply it more smoothly. It may take an extra layer of paint to get an even coat but, as we always say, two thin coats are better than one thick one. After the skin, paint the metal, then the armour, then the tiny details last.The prized glory of every Verminlord is his regal crown of horns, and Skreech Verminking has an especially grand set curling from his brow. By drybrushing these for stages 3 to 5 you build up great tones, and the final drybrush acts as a guide for the highlight you add in the final stage. When you are doing drybrushing like this, work your brush in the direction that goes with the ridges, so that the recesses stay free from paint.

Another feature of Lord Skreech is the warpstone set into his doom glaive and the bracelet on his wrist. Warpstone is a hard, shiny surface and you can reflect this in your painting by keeping the edges on your highlights hard. The best way to do this is to use a Fine Detail Brush, and carefully trace the natural lines on the model – if you look at the examples on the left, the layers in stages 3, 4 and 5 are all very accurate. Don’t load your brush with too much paint, and follow the sculpted lines carefully. The same principle applies when painting the runes set into Skreech’s armour. The Warpstone Glow in stage 1 should cover the area around the runes a little, but stages 2 and 3 should be as precise as you can manage. Thanquol was painted from the inside out, meaning his skin and fur were painted first, then his robes, then finally his trinkets and horns. This makes it much easier to apply the next colour, as you’re not trying to paint between or past areas you’ve already painted.

You’ll also notice that Thanquol’s skin is painted using slightly different stages to the ones used on Boneripper. This is because Thanquol is a small, warpstone-addicted rat, not a hulking monster like Boneripper. A paler complexion also works better next to his white fur.

Paint Splatter provides handy tips and stage-by-stage painting guides for the week’s key releases. This week we show you how to paint the new Skaven Stormfiends in the colours of Clan Skryre, the most technologically advanced of all the Skaven Clans.

Skaven Stormfiends are huge, vicious creatures, hulking walls of muscle and armour that will look great accompanying your Skaven clan to war. The one in this stage-by-stage guide (and the ones in the picture above) were fully assembled following the construction guide in the box and undercoated using Chaos Black Spray.

The key to painting the Stormfiends is to paint from the inside out, starting with areas such as skin and fur and working out towards armour, metal and weapons, with details such as teeth, claws and warpstone last. It’s much easier painting a model this way, otherwise you have to navigate your brush between already-painted areas to get at the details beneath – not an easy task for any painter.

Because there’s so much skin on a Stormfiend, it’s important to make sure you paint it well. A smooth basecoat of Ratskin Flesh helps the transition between the Chaos Black undercoat and the much lighter Cadian Fleshtone – the main colour of the skin. Because you’re painting such a large area, the paint may go streaky in places. This isn’t a problem; let the paint dry fully and apply a second layer over the first until you get a smooth, consistent skin tone. A heavy wash of Reikland Fleshshade helps add definition to the rippling muscles, scars and stitch lines.

TIME FOR A WASH

Though you may not be able to see it from the front, behind the armoured body of every Stormfiend sits a tiny Skaven packmaster, his atrophied body and bulging brain plugged directly into the Stormfiend’s body and weapons, a grotesque bio-mechanical symbiosis.

The packmaster is painted using exactly the same colours as the Rat Ogre he’s attached to, but with one extra highlight of Pallid Wych Flesh to make him appear weak and sickly. His pulsing brain, however, was given a wash of Druchii Violet to make it look bruised and swollen. Completely disgusting but a great little touch.

Another use for Druchii Violet is on the tip of the Rat Ogre’s tail, though Carroburg Crimson also works nicely. It makes Skaven tails look more worm-like, fleshy and, appropriately, more disturbing. These two Shades also work really nicely around stitches and suture marks, as well as scars and joins between skin and metal. Using a Fine Detail Brush, apply a tiny amount of the Shade to the area you want to look damaged, concentrating it into the recesses.

Where the skin of the Stormfiends should have smooth, barely-perceptible highlights, it’s a good idea to paint armour panels with sharp edge highlights to make the armour look more solid. A really sharp final highlight gives the impression of light catching the edges of the armour panels. The black armour stages show how to add battle damage to your Stormfiends’ armour. A layer of Rhinox Hide provides a suitable dirty-metal basecoat while thin layers of Leadbelcher and Runefang Steel represent where the paint has chipped away to reveal the bare metal beneath.

CLAN COLOURS

While these Stormfiends have been painted with the red armour commonly associated with Clan Skryre (or Clan Mors), there’s nothing to stop you painting them any colour you like. In fact, you will have seen several differently coloured Stormfiends in Warhammer: Thanquol, from the black-clad brutes of Clan Rictus, to the blue-armoured warriors of Thanquol’s horde. To help you decide on your clan colours, here are a few ideas to get you started:

Clan Moulder:
Rhinox Hide
Steel Legion Drab
Agrax Earthshade
Baneblade Brown

Clan Pestilens:
Deathworld Forest
Agrax Earthshade
Elysian Green
Ogryn Camo

Clan Eshin:
Abaddon Black
Eshin Grey
Nuln Oil
Administratum Grey

Clan Septik:
Leadbelcher
Typhus Corrosion
Ryza Rust
Necron Compound

Clan Skurvy:
XV88
Seraphim Sepia
Balor Brown
Screaming Skull

For Clan Skryre and Clan Mors, use the stage-by-stage guide for red armour to the right. For Clan Rictus and Clan Mordkin, use the black armour to the right. For the blue armour shown on Thanquol’s horde, check out the stage-by-stage guide for Thanquol and Boneripper in last week’s issue.

Now you’ve got absolutely no excuse not to get your Skaven army painted!

Being dirty Skaven, Stormfiends are a great place for weathering techniques. On this Stormfiend we used two: verdigris on the bronze areas and dried blood on the tabard. With Nihilakh Oxide (the verdigris), the more you put on, the more corroded the bronze areas will look. You can then highlight it as normal to show where it has been rubbed off. Alternatively, use Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust for rusty steel areas. Reikland Fleshshade was used for the dried blood, though you could always use Blood for the Blood God if you prefer your gore a little fresher.

WARPSTONE GLOW

The highly dangerous material known as warpstone is used by the Skaven for pretty much everything, from weapons and power sources to currency and seasoning. Warpstone emanates a sickly green glow that works brilliantly as a spot colour on traditionally drab Skaven models. As you can see to the left, painting the warpstone is relatively easy, just make sure each highlight is finer and sharper than the last and you’ll get an ominous-looking gemstone in no time.

A popular technique among painters is to paint a halo or area of light around things that glow, such as warpstone, lights on vehicles, power nodes on weapons, and so on. Known as object source lighting (the object being the thing that glows), it’s a great way to show the baleful light that emanates from a chunk of warpstone.

Like all new techniques, painting object source lighting can take a bit of practice. Fortunately, there are lots of spare weapons in the Stormfiends box, so why not practice on a few of them first? And, for more on using this technique..

In issue 46’s Battle Report, the Blood Angels went to war against the terrifying threat of the Tyranids. The Sons of Sanguinius won the day, but none present – the mighty Mephiston included – could fell the infamous Swarmlord. So who can?

HOW IT WORKS

We played four rounds – one challenger versus the Swarmlord at a time – and simply set up our combatants on either side of a single Realm of Battle board (so a bit less than 24” apart), rolled for who went first, and had at it. Pelting across the board gave us some wiggle room for shooting and manifesting any helpful psychic powers (we rolled The Horror, Catalyst and Psychic Scream for the Swarmlord, which we let him use each round) where relevant, but the real meat would come in the Assault… as you will see!

We didn’t bother with points values, we just picked four mighty heroes (well, three mighty heroes and one megalomaniacal supervillain) and let fate take its undeniable course.

The Swarmlord is a mighty alien leader, a functionally-immortal organism whose martial experience is continually re-absorbed into the Hive Mind and spawned anew to bring extinction down on the indigenous races of the galaxy. The beast is, in fact, one of the deadliest combatants in the 41st Millennium, and we wondered who could best him. Mephiston had a good crack at him in issue 46 (after slaughtering a Carnifex, a Tyranid Prime and a Tyranid Warrior brood in short order) but came unstuck against the Swarmlord’s bonesabres – four terrifying extra-terrestrial blades that inflict instant death on its victims. But could Mephiston have his revenge? And if we let the Blood Angels’ mightiest psyker attack the Swarmlord, how would a smattering of other Space Marine heroes fare – and who might these challengers be?

And so it was that Captain Lysander of the Imperial Fists and Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf himself, joined Mephiston in the queue for a little Tyranid fisticuffs. Not wanting to be left out of the action, Abaddon of the Black Legion – one of the Warhammer 40,000’s greatest villains – took a sabbatical from his latest Black Crusade and joined in too. What would happen? Read on…

ROUND 1: MEPHISTON STRIKES!
Empowered by the terrible energies of the Warp, Mephiston manifested the Sanguine Sword and Shield of Sanguinius, and used his psychic might to deny the Swarmlord’s use of Catalyst. Charging into combat, the Lord of Death also successfully employed his Transfixing Gaze, befuddling the Tyranid leader-beast. Alas, Mephiston’s victories were pyrrhic; the Swarmlord cut him down with his bonesabres, a single failed save proving enough for Mephiston to be bested.

ROUND 2: ABADDON ATTACKS!
Crackling with the fell energy of the daemon blade Drach’nyen, Abaddon stormed in with a mighty nine attacks, but only managed to wound the Swarmlord once. The Tyranid wounded the Chaos Space Marine more grievously, but the favour of the dark gods inured Abaddon to the bonesabres’ fatal effects. A second round of combat saw the Swarmlord reduced to a single wound, but Abaddon, struggling against the sheer toughness of the towering alien beast, ultimately fell, unable to slay his foe.

ROUND 3: LYSANDER LAYS HIM LOW!
Grim determination etched on his craggy features, the Captain of the Imperial Fists warded off the Swarmlord’s initial furious assault with his near-impervious storm shield. Unharmed, he struck back, shattering alien chitin and causing a mighty three wounds. Staggered, the Swarmlord struck back, gouging great rents in Lysander’s Terminator armour, but to no avail. Hefting his thunder hammer with a great warcry, Lysander stove in the alien’s skull and stood victorious.

ROUND 4: FOR THE ALLFATHER!
Logan Grimnar, emboldened by Lysander’s victory, roared in on Stormrider, the sheer impact of his charge wounding the Swarmlord. The reeling alien could only wound once in return, while the Old Wolf, swinging the axe Morkai with a bestial snarl, hacked three wounds into the vile xenos flesh. Summoning the power of the Hive Mind, the Swarmlord manifested Catalyst, his alien nervous system flooded with damage resistance, but it was not enough; with an unearthly shriek, the Tyranid avatar was cleaved in twain.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

We quite like our little challenges here at White Dwarf – you may recall similar features where we set, say, the Tyranid Toxicrene up against a variety of opponents. But what about you, dear reader? Do you indulge in the odd game of ‘what if?’, seeing how the great and good (and not so good, and downright evil) of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer fare against each other? Perhaps you fancy putting a selection of other Space Marine heroes up against the Swarmlord, or a variety of alien ‘heroes’ up against the triumphant Captain Lysander. We’d like to know how you get on – why not send us tales of your own challenges to: team@whitedwarf.co.uk.

We’ll print the most entertaining tales in the magazine. And if you’ve got some great photos too, so much the better! So what are you waiting for – get challenging!

A MONSTER MASHED

All of our four challengers are mighty combatants in their own right, among the most powerful heroes and villains to stalk the dark future. However, the two that managed to conquer the Swarmlord in close combat were, tellingly, the ones immune to the dread effects of the bonesabres – Lysander and Grimnar have the Eternal Warrior special rule.

Of course, Lysander also proved that a good defence is most certainly a good offence, his storm shield saving him from the worst of the Swarmlord’s vengeance – which made up for the fact that his unwieldy thunder hammer meant he struck last. Leman Russ, meanwhile, had the benefit of some extra rending attacks from Tyrnak and Fenrir, the vicious Thunderwolves that pull Stormrider. It was these that helped him pummel the Swarmlord… who will no doubt be back to extract alien revenge very soon!

The Stormfiends are the ultimate weapon-brutes of the armies of the Skaven, diabolical inventions of Clan Moulder unleashed during the End Times. Here we present the rules for these massive killing machines, along with advice on how to use them in your games.

Whether soaking up volleys of arrow fire, clubbing the enemy to death with gigantic metal fists or burning them to a crisp with their arcane weapons, the Stormfiends excel in every aspect of warfare, combining rugged durability and brute strength with the potential to unleash incredible amounts of damage using the crazy weapons of Clan Skryre.

The weapons available to Stormfiends split neatly into two types, short-ranged firepower and close combat, so you need to plan accordingly when you are choosing your models. Regardless of which you choose, romp forwards with your Stormfiends in the first turn. If you plan to fight in close combat, then you have to get there anyway, but even if you want to focus on shooting, you still have to be fairly close: the maximum range of any Stormfiend weapon is 24”.

Don’t be shy about ending up in charge range of your enemy either. Slow-witted though Stormfiends are, ratling guns and warpfire projectors are Quick to Fire, so you will even get a chance to shoot if you are counter-charged, and often that’s enough to put people off entirely.

STORMFIENDS
85 points per model

Stormfiends can be included in a Skaven army. Their points cost counts towards your Rare units allowance.

Unit Size: 3+

EQUIPMENT:
Light armour (or warpstone-laced armour if the model is equipped with doom-flayer gauntlets or shock gauntlets, see below).

SKAVEN WEAPONS OF THE END TIMES:
Each model in a unit of Stormfiends must be given one of the following Skaven Weapons of the End Times (see overleaf). Note that the unit can take the weapons in any combination; there is no restriction on how many or how few of each can be taken, and they do not cost any additional points.

Doom-flayer gauntlets
Grinderfists
Ratling cannons
Shock gauntlets
Warpfire projectors
Windlaunchers

SPECIAL RULES:
Fear, Skirmishers.

Big and Bulky: Stormfiends cannot use the Fire On The March and Light Troops rules that normally apply to units with the Skirmishers special rule.

Double the Death: Stormfiends equipped with doom-flayer gauntlets, grinderfists or shock gauntlets re-roll all failed To Wound rolls in the Close Combat phase (including Impact Hits and Stomps). Stormfiends equipped with ratling cannons, warpfire projectors or windlaunchers re-roll all failed To Wound rolls when shooting with these weapons.

Designer’s Note: Although Stormfiends are armed with multiple weapons, they never benefit from the Extra Attack rule for having more than one close combat weapon.

Warpstone-laced Armour: Stormfiends equipped with doom-flayer gauntlets or shock gauntlets have warpstone-laced armour that gives them a 4+ armour save. If a unit of Stormfiends includes one or more models with warpstone-laced armour when armour saves are taken, then use their armour save of 4+ against all of the Wounds that have been inflicted. However, any Wounds that are not saved must be applied to models with warpstone-laced armour before any are applied to models with light armour. If this creates a gap in the unit, move a model up from the back rank to fill the gap. If the unit consists of only a single rank, close the gap by moving the remaining models sideways towards the centre of the gap.

Any attacks, spells or special rules which allow you to target a specific model ignore this special rule, and use the armour save of the model that is targeted; if the target has warpstone-laced armour it has a 4+ save, and if not it has a 6+ armour save.

SKAVEN WEAPONS OF THE END TIMES

In secret warpforges deep below Skavenblight, Grey Seers, Plague Monks and Warlock Engineers have joined forces to create a terrifying range of new weapons and equipment. Here you can find the rules for all of the Stormfiend weapons.

DOOM-FLAYERGAUNTLETS

By attaching huge motorised iron balls and whirring blades onto the ends of a Stormfiend’s arms, a truly fearsome tunnel-fighter was created. To further protect these close-combat maulers, they bear heavy armour adorned with spinning cleaver-blades.

Range:
Combat

Strength:
+2

Special Rules:
Whirling Doom

Whirling Doom: A model with doom-flayer gauntlets has the Impact Hits (D3) special rule.

WINDLAUNCHERS

Some Stormfiends bear paired windlauncher mortar-fists. Mundane armour offers no protection against the vapours released by the poisoned wind globes lobbed into the fray by these weapons. With each shot, a new glass orb filled with gaseous death clicks into position, ready to be fired.

Windlaunchers are fired as a single stone thrower with the following profile:

Range:
6-24”

Strength:
n/a

Special Rules:
Plague Wind,
Slow to Fire,
Warpstone Weapon,
Wild Misfire

Plague Wind: Windlaunchers do not have a Strength characteristic. Instead, all models under the template suffer a single wound on a D6 roll of 4+, regardless of their Toughness, with no armour save allowed.

Warpstone Weapon: Warpstone Weapons and attacks made by them count as magical.

Wild Misfire: Do not roll on the Stone Thrower Misfire chart if the windlaunchers misfire. Instead, the template for the attack scatters 2D6” in the direction shown on the scatter dice. If a hit is rolled on the scatter dice, use the small arrow on the hit symbol to determine the direction of scatter.

GRINDERFISTS

Some of Throt’s Stormfiends were adapted to carry warp-grinders, allowing them to create their own tunnels by vaporising soil, rock and roots alike. Once in combat, such a stormfiend will grind at the foe, disintegrating flesh with ease.

Range:
Combat

Strength:
5

Special Rules:
Tunneller,
Warp-strike,
Warpstone Weapon

Tunneller: A unit that contains a model with grinderfists is not deployed at the beginning of the game, but instead uses the following rules. During deployment, but before Scouts are set up, place a tunnel marker anywhere on the battlefield that is not impassable terrain (a coin is ideal). At the beginning of your second turn, roll a dice: on a 2+ the unit arrives. On a roll of a 1, it arrives at the start of your next turn instead.

When the unit arrives, roll for scatter using a scatter dice and an artillery dice. If you roll a misfire, the unit is delayed and will instead arrive at the beginning of your next turn. If the marker scatters into impassable terrain or a friendly unit, reduce the scatter distance by the minimum required so that this is not the case.

Once the final position of the marker is established, place the unit so that a model with grinderfists is touching the marker. The unit can face in any direction, and can act normally this turn, including declaring a charge. A unit arriving on the battlefield in this fashion does not count as having moved for the purposes of shooting.

If the centre of the marker is under an enemy unit when a unit with grinderfists arrives, you should instead place the emerging unit as though it had charged the front of the enemy unit. It will fight in the Close Combat phase, but does not count as having charged for purposes of Impact Hits, Combat Result etc.

If it is impossible to deploy the unit for any reason, the unit does not emerge and will instead arrive at the beginning of your following turn, using the rules above.

Warp-strike: In the Close Combat phase, a model with this rule does not roll To Hit; it inflicts D3 automatic hits instead.

Warpstone Weapon: Warpstone Weapons and attacks made by them count as magical.

SHOCK GAUNTLETS

For the ultimate in shock assaults, stormfiends armed with electrified gauntlets were produced by Clan Skryre. Powered by warp generators, it is the heavy armour the beast wears that is the true weapon, for it conducts arcs of warp lightning that wreath the rat ogre’s body in crackling energies. Simply being near one of these creatures is enough to sizzle many foes to a burnt crisp.

Range:
Combat

Strength:
+1

Special Rules:
Warp Lightning Discharge

Warp Lightning Discharge: A model with shock gauntlets inflicts D3 hits rather than 1 when making a Stomp. Attacks made by a model with shock gauntlets ignore armour saves.

RATLING CANNONS

For pumping out sheer firepower, there is little that can match a Stormfiend equipped with ratling cannons. Three sets of eight-barrelled weapons bedeck this hulking muscle-beast, enabling
it to pour forth warp-bullets which riddle entire enemy units with holes.

Range:
18”

Strength:
5

Special Rules:
Armour Piercing,
Hot Warplead,
Multiple Shots (3D6),
Quick to Fire,
Warpstone Weapon,
Wildfire

Hot Warplead: Ratling cannons do not suffer any To Hit penalties for firing at long range or firing Multiple Shots.

Warpstone Weapon: Warpstone Weapons and attacks made by them count as magical.

Wildfire: Each To Hit roll result of 1 inflicts one hit on the closest friendly unit in the firing unit’s front arc that is within range, instead of the target unit. If there are no eligible friendly units, then the attack misses.

WARPFIRE PROJECTORS

Stormfiends armed with warpfire projectors wade into battle shooting arcs of green-black warpfire from their heavy gauntlets. While these great cones of unnatural flame might occasionally miss their target, it is a small price to pay for the devastation even a single shot can wreak upon enemy regiments.

Warpfire projectors are fired as a single fire thrower. Place the template touching any of the model’s barrels. Warpfire projectors have the following profile:

Range:
n/a

Strength:
5

Special Rules:
Flaming Attacks,
Multiple Wounds (D3),
Move or Fire,
Quick to Fire,
Warpstone Weapon,
Wildly Off-target

Warpstone Weapon: Warpstone Weapons and attacks made by them count as magical.

Wildly Off-target: Do not roll on the Black Powder Misfire chart if the warpfire projector misfires. Instead, the weapon inflicts D6 automatic hits on the closest friendly unit in the firing unit’s front arc that is within 12”. If there are no eligible friendly units, the warpfire projector simply does not fire this turn.

TOP WEAPON TIPS

Each weapon used by the Stormfiends is deadly, if it’s used just right. Here are our top tips.

Ratling cannons: Use these to mow down heavy infantry and cavalry regiments.

Grinderfists: These let your entire unit tunnel underground. Pair them with Warpfire projectors to line up cheeky flanking shots.

Warpfire projectors: With a good shot, these can burn units to a crisp. Best used to fire along the length of large enemy regiments.

Windlaunchers: Capable of wounding any target on a 4+, use these against the toughest enemy units.

Shock Gauntlets: Perfect for killing heavily-armoured models with multiple wounds (Demigryph Knights, Blood Crushers etc).

Doom-flayer gauntlets: Perfect for causing extra damage when you charge, and then duffing over tough foes.

Join us for a round-up of the week as we share comment, opinion and trivia on all the latest releases, plus other fun tidbits that have cropped up in the White Dwarf bunker. This week, we take a look at huge rats, small rats, loyalists, heretics and the face of the moon.

WEAPONS OF THE STORMFIENDS - MAKING YOUR CHOICE

The cunning design of the Stormfiends means that the three Stormfiend models within the kit can be built in a total of six different configurations, each with one of two weapon options – ratling cannon or grinderfists, windlaunchers or warpfire projectors, doom-flayer gauntlets or shock gauntlets. What’s great about each of these is how distinctive they look, despite each pairing sharing numerous parts. There’s so much detail and character on these dominating models that they are a natural army centrepiece – the unit in your force that is sure to get a lot of attention (both in terms of admiration from fellow gamers, and being targeted by their army, sadly).

Here in the bunker we’ve been trying to work out which weapons we would choose to build, and we still haven’t reached a consensus. The undisputed favourite weapon, from the point of view of appearances, is the ratling cannon, but the grinderfists are universally admired too (the fact that they let your gigantic gun-toting Rat Ogres tunnel underground might have something to do with that).

The lone Dwarfer painting them at the moment is determined to do all six variants. “Tactical flexibility,” he says with a distant grin. “My Stormfiends will have a weapon for every possible situation.”

THE BLACK HUNGER

The Skaven have a curious relationship with food, for their kind harbour an endless hunger only staved off by regular feeding. While this might not seem remarkable (surely every living creature eats), for the Skaven it is a grave concern – so much so that they measure distances in food stops, rather than miles or leagues. So a journey from Altdorf to Nuln could be considered 18 food stops for Skaven travelling at speed.

Should a Skaven undergo a period of intense exertion there is a strong chance that they will suffer the Black Hunger, a terrible all-consuming urge that drives the Skaven into a frenzy so intense they will fearlessly and voraciously consume anything edible within reach, gorging themselves until they are utterly bloated and unable to continue. Most commonly this takes place in the wake of a major battle, where the Skaven will ravenously consume the flesh of the fallen, friend or foe. When in the grip of the Black Hunger a Skaven becomes completely fearless – they will try to eat anything, or anyone (however dangerous).

You can’t have failed to notice the Skaven are distinctly rat-like in appearance, though how they came to be the size they are (not to mention walk on hind legs, communicate and invent diabolical weapons) is a mystery. What is known, however, is that they have almost total control over the common rats of the world, herding them ahead of an attack or using them as handy, pocket-sized familiars.

Many of these rats are already the size of small dogs, but the flesh-crafters of Clan Moulder have a knack for breeding them even larger, more ferocious and often with extra limbs or heads. The new Grey Seer has two rat familiars with him, a warpstone-gathering scurry-rat who holds on to his warptokens and an optional attack rat who wears his own suit of armour and even a tiny helm. It may look cute, but don’t even think of saying ‘awww’ because it would ravage your face off.

WARPSTONEGLOW REVISITED

In Paint Splatter we talked about painting object source lighting. Here we show you how to do it:

Paint the area around the warpstone as you would normally, including highlights (1). After painting Stage 2 of the warpstone, water down the Warpstone Glow on your palette and, using a detail brush, apply it to the area around the warpstone chunk (2). Don’t paint too much on; only a millimetre or two to suggest a baleful glow. Highlight the warpstone and the surrounding area with Moot Green (3). Finish painting the warpstone as normal (4). That’s it!

Notes from the worlds of Warhammer. This week: famous ships.

THE VENGEFUL SPIRIT

One of the mightiest warships in the fleets of the Legiones Astartes and the flagship of the Warmaster Horus, the Vengeful Spirit became synonymous with the actions of the traitors during the Horus Heresy. As a Gloriana-class battleship it had the firepower to slaughter entire planetary populations. Interestingly the Vengeful Spirit was the place where the rebellion was fermented and planned, and also settled, as the Emperor and Horus clashed aboard its damned decks.

THE HELDENHAMMER

Intended as the flagship of the Emperor Karl Franz’s navy, the Heldenhammer was stolen from the Cult of Sigmar by Captain Jago Roth, who sailed away the 180-gun behemoth on his quest to hunt down the legendary Dreadfleet of Count Noctilus. Perhaps the greatest ship ever made by the hands of men, the Heldenhammer possessed the firepower to turn other ships of the line into kindling. Its most powerful weapon, however, was Sigmar’s Wrath, a gigantic hammer blessed by the Grand Theogonist and powered by powerful steam pistons. Any ship that found itself close to the Heldenhammer’s bow was likely to be crushed by its thunderous blows.

THE ESSENE

The sprint-trader known as the Essene was the vessel of prosperous merchant captain Tobias Maxilla. Though relatively lightly armed, the Essene and her redoubtable captain played a crucial role in several of the famous Inquisitor Eisenhorn’s most notable actions, proving that sometimes courage and cunning are as valuable as the Imperial Navy’s big guns.

Most collectors enjoy thinking up a history for the models in their armies, whether it’s basing it on a story that already exists within the background or making up something entirely new.

Warhammer: Thanquol is a fantastic resource for stories and ideas for your army, especially if you’re collecting a Skaven horde of your own. Each of the major battles described in the book is accompanied by pages describing some of the major protagonists – along with brilliant, inspirational artwork. Take the Blackfire Warpack, which formed part of Thanquol’s Uprising (shown to the right) and used their warpfire projectors to set swathes of Nuln ablaze. They didn’t stand off and watch the enemy burn, though, but charged straight into the fray, bludgeoning Empire soldiers to death with their massive weapons. It’s amazing how just a little snippet of identity can transform a regiment into something far more exciting.

The White Dwarf team is a font of hobby knowledge, a metaphorical repository of useful facts. If you have a question about Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer, need a bit of painting advice or you’re after a few tactical tips, drop us a line: team@whitedwarf.co.uk

YOUR NUMBER’S UP

Dear Grombrindal, how do Chaos Space Marine warbands recover their losses?
- David ‘Warmaster’s Elite’ Kim

GROMBRINDAL SAYS

Filthy Chaos! I got the beardlings to come up with a few suggestions.

1. Turn Renegade. When a whole Chapter such as the Astral Claws turns renegade, that’s 1000 new Chaos Space Marines.

2. They steal loyalist gene-seed. The Iron Warriors Warsmith Honsou stole a bucket-load from the Imperial Fists in the novel Storm of Iron.

3. Fabius Bile has created new Chaos Space Marines using technology from the days of the Great Crusade. His services are available to all Legions. For a price…

4. In the case of the Thousands Sons, their suits of armour just get back up. You can’t kill dust (except with a vacuum…).
- Grombrindal

This week, our Reader’s Model is this stellar example of a Dark Eldar Razorwing Jetfighter by Dominic Miller.

Dominic started by painting the yellow hull, then carefully painting the starscape around it with an airbrush to represent the Razorwing’s nightshield activating.

If you’ve painted a miniature that you think is worthy of a place in White Dwarf then why not send a picture to:
team@whitedwarf.co.uk

If it’s something we can use, we’ll be sure to get in touch.

Okay, so it actually comes in two bits, but the Herald of Tzeentch’s moon face is so creepy we just had to feature it. A topic of hot debate, we’re always curious whether his pockmarked face is mid-way through waxing or waning.

Across the galaxy in the Games Workshop Design Studio, 29 keen players have been taking part in a vast Warhammer 40,000 campaign. Set on the planet of Kavardia near the Charadon system (home of the infamous Arch-Arsonist), the campaign has almost reached its climax, the five Ork hordes on the planet joining forces to sweep all before them. A big showdown is, apparently, in the making. Among the forces opposing them are the Midgardian 144th regiment of the Astra Militarum, who have been busy upholding their illustrious reputation. Their latest reinforcements are Tempestor Prime Anaxos Blitzen and his plasma-happy squad of Tempestus Scions. They all carry a hip flask on their backpack, supposedly to cool down their weapons when they overheat. We suspect otherwise…

Copyright © Games Workshop Limited 2014 excepting all materials pertaining to the New Line theatrical productions: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG™, which are © 2014 New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG™ and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. (s14)

All quotations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary trilogy The Lord of the Rings (including any of the volumes thereof) © The Tolkien Estate 1954-55, 1966.

Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, ’Eavy Metal, Citadel and the Citadel device are either ®, TM and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2014, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. All Rights Reserved.

Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, GW, Citadel, the Citadel device, Citadel Finecast, Warhammer, Warhammer logo, Warhammer Armies, The Game of Fantasy Battles, the twin-tailed comet device, Warhammer 40,000, the Warhammer 40,000 logo, 40K, 40,000, the double-headed eagle/Aquila design, White Dwarf and all associated marks, logos, names, places, characters, creatures, races and race insignia, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world and Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, ™ and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2014 variably registered around the world. All Rights Reserved.

Please be aware that Games Workshop products are usually sold unpainted and unassembled and the contents of any products may vary from those shown herein (for example, any banners shown may not necessarily be included). Pictures are used for illustrative purposes only. In accordance with national laws, Games Workshop is prohibited from selling spray paints and bladed equipment to certain age groups. Further, certain Citadel products may be dangerous if used incorrectly and Games Workshop does not recommend them for use by children under the age of 16 without adult supervision. Whatever your age, be careful when using glues, bladed equipment and sprays and make sure that you read and follow the instructions on the packaging. Prices correct at time of going to press. Customers are advised to contact Games Workshop for current availability and current Games Workshop prices. Prices quoted are for products sold by Games Workshop through its own stores, catalogue or website. Independent retailers are responsible for determining their own prices.

Games Workshop Limited
Willow Road, Lenton, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG7 2WS

Registered in England and Wales
– Company No. 01467092.

ISSN 2055-2653

Product code: 60659999051