A great cannon

This great cannon is one of the (many) warmachines released for the Empire with the 4th edition of Warhammer Battle. As for the mortar, I have tried to link it to the story of the White Lady, by adding some candles and a skull hanging from the carriage. 

In terms of painting, it's the same old colours over a black undercoat: the wood received a basecoat of VGC Heavy Charcoal mixed with VMC Chocolate Brown, then highlighted with various mixes of Chocolate Brown and VMC Light Grey. For the metallic parts, I started with a basecoat of VMC Dark Sea Blue and VMC Hull Red, then highlighted using VMC Neutral Grey, VMC Field Blue, Light Grey, VMC Sky Blue, and white.

 

The barrel of the cannon deserved special attention, as it’s decorated with incredible detail. I can’t help but admire the dedication of the designer—these tiny ornaments are often invisible on dry-brushed models. In any case, I did my best to bring out all these elements on the barrel, which I kept in contrast as dark as possible.

 

As for the crew, nothing new in terms of painting. The keen-eyed reader will notice that the third gunner is not the original model: I couldn’t find him in my boxes, so I had to convert a beheaded halberdier by trimming his chainmail, gluing a new head, and swapping the blade for something more suitable for loading a cannon. Lucky me, black is great for hiding the imperfections in the conversion.

 

... and the procession

Just a few shots of the funeral coach and its followers. Ideal for a useless Empire baggage train if I played Warhammer 3rd edition 😝

 

 

I've tried to capture the spirit of medieval illustrations of Richard II funerals.

 

I hope you like it!

The processionaries

I'm getting tired of this army, but I still have a lot of unfinished business on my work desk. So... 4 more models. 

 The bearers of the heraldic candles are two converted crewmen of the second version of the Empire Volley Gun. Really happy with the one holding his hat. As for the other one... let's say that I didn't want to leave it in the cemetary of half-baked conversions. 😐

The monks are Citadel Clerics released in the 80s: I have simply glued some relics on the Friar model, and swapped the weapon and the head of the Holy Man model.

 And we're done with non-fighters!

The deceased count (part II)

Seven months have passed since the publication of the post presenting Count Heinrich's last home. Blame the endless painting of my regiment of mounted knights, as well as the apprehension of painting two new horses. Anyway...

The colours are as dull and muted as possible (it's a funerary coach after all). On a black undercoat, the wooden parts are painted with a mix of VGC extra opaque Heavy Charcoal and VMC Chocolate Brown, adding lines of VMA Tire black + Chocolate Brown and VMC Light Grey + Chocolate Brown. You'll recognize on the sides the intertwined brambles and capital letters of Adelarde de Monfort and Heinrich that I have already used extensively on the caparisons of the war horses. 

For the metallic parts, the usual basecoat of VMC Dark Sea Blue and VMC Hull Red, highlighted with Formula P3 Greatcoat Grey, VMC Field Blue, Light Grey and white.

The two living characters were painted with the tones of the spearmen for the rider, and of the mourners for the priest. As for the late husband of the White Lady, probably too much time spent on something hidden in the coach 😑 

 Coach done. That's a relief 😜

Regiment complete

 Finally done! I'm really sick of this black and grey scheme. Lesson learnt for my next army: I'll use more colours 😝

And five!

Erf. The last knight is finished. I have to admit that I almost gave up, as the idea of painting a fifth warhorse and its barding was discouraging. That, and the complete creative block I had trying to make a death cryer from existing miniatures. In the end, a few bits glued onto the knight's sides, and that's it. I've then tried to enforce the gloomy nature of this character by painting a few skulls on his coat.   

The mounted standard-bearer

I always have a little apprehension when it comes to painting a standard-bearer, and this model was no exception. 

The horse was painted in the same way as its 3 predecessors (the only change being the candles fixed to its caparison).

The dreaded flag was painted separately and took me a stupid amount of hours. I have basecoated it with Vallejo Extra Opaque Heavy Charcoal, then used two shades of grey (VMC Neutral Grey and Light Grey) to reproduce the faces of Louise de Lorraine and Henri III, as proxies of Adelarde de Montfort and the late Count Heinrich of Schädelheim.

I have then painted the knight, glued his right arm in place, reworked the highlights a little bit, et voilà!

Three Knights

The mounted triplets!

 

Mounted guard #3

Nothing much to say. Same colors, same model.