After way too long, I’ve finally completed painting on my Magore’s Fiends for Warhammer Underworlds.
TL:DR – I had issues early on causing a set back, but they’re all done now.
I started them back at the end of July, and between life and painting mishaps, here we are way later than intended. Previously, I had two of the warband done and sealed. However, likely the serious humidity we were having or I didn’t shake the can enough, the always trusty Testors Dullcote went on shinier than it should have.
Normally I could live with a bit of a shine; it wasn’t bad really and still a matte finish, but I had done some very subtle blending that was now lost in that slight sheen.
Combining that with the fact there were a few things on the models that I wasn’t happy with (I had redone the bases 3 times), I tossed them both into a Simple Green bath to strip them. That may be only the 2nd time I’ve done that – stripped a model I didn’t have to because I wasn’t happy with it.
When you’ve only got 4 models and you have to strip 2 of them, it’s a bit of a blow to the motivation needless to say. Still, I sucked it up and forged ahead, albeit way later than planned.
I decided to make a change though, and one I’m very happy with, so there’s a silver lining in the story. Instead of painting them all in the same color scheme, I decided to paint each one uniquely but fitting of Khorne. My thought was they were all a part of former warbands killed off in the city of Shadespire. They all eventually met up over time, and all being followers of Khorne, reformed into Magore’s Fiends.
So, they don’t all wear the same armor, but they all fight for Khorne. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!
I did, however, tie each model together, at least the Blood Warriors. Each one has elements from another. So, they all share red, bone, brass, and black, oh and the silver.
It’s an idea I had when I started painting them but decided to ignore. Stripping those models gave me the chance to have a go at it, so I ran with it. Plus, not painting the models exactly as I had painted them previously (prior to stripping), helped make the pain of painting them a second time easier to swallow.
Anyway, since I have not done any WIP posts on them here, I thought I’d fill you in, whether you wanted to be filled in or not ;)
Now, pretty pictures!
Magore’s Fiends Painting Showcase
Here’s the warband all together and below are shots of each model.
Also, I’m including the painting recipe with each model since it’s distinct to every one. Also, unless noted otherwise, the color used is from Citadel. Any Vallejo colors will be designated with (V).
Painting Recipe
The brass and silver parts were done the same on each model. Here’s those recipes.
Brass
- Base coat Brass Scorpion.
- Washed with Agrax Earthshade.
- Shaded with Rhinox Hide.
- Deeper shading with Rhinox Hide + Abaddon Black (50/50).
- Layered back up to Brass Scorpion.
- Layered with Runelord Brass at the highest points.
- Extreme highlights with Ironbreaker.
- Oxidation done with Nihilakh Oxide.
Silver
- Base coat with Ironbreaker.
- Washed with Nuln Oil.
- Layered back up to Ironbreaker.
- Shaded with Abaddon Black.
- Extreme highlights with Runefang Steel.
Base Stone Area
- Base coat Abaddon Black.
- Dry brush with Stormvermin Fur.
- Dry brush with Karak Stone.
Base Lava
- Base coat Hot Orange (V).
- Layer with Fire Dragon Bright.
- Layer with Flash Gitz Yellow.
- OSL areas were done with Fire Dragon Bright.
I have a full tutorial on how I paint lava as well.
Ghartok Flayskull
Armor Painting Recipe
- Base coat Khorne Red.
- Shade Rhinox Hide.
- Deepest shading with Rhinox Hide + Abaddon Black (50/50).
- Highlights are Evil Sunz Scarlet.
- Extreme highlights and scratches with Hot Orange (V).
Zharkus the Bloodsighted
Armor Painting Recipe
- Base coat Abaddon black.
- Layered with Eshin Grey.
- Layered with Cold Grey (V).
- Extreme highlights and scratches with Administratum Grey.
Riptooth
Skin Painting Recipe
- Base coat Khorne Red.
- Base coat scaly areas with Abaddon Black.
- Wash with Nuln Oil.
- Highlights with Tuskgor Fur.
- Wash again with Nuln Oil.
- More highlights with Tuskgor Fur.
- Black areas dry brushed with Cold Grey (V).
- Further dry brushing with Administratum Grey.
Magore Redhand
Armor Painting Recipe
- Base coat with Ushabti Bone.
- Shaded with Karak Stone.
- Deeper shading with Steel Legion Drab.
- Layered and highlights with Screaming Skull.
- Extreme highlights with White Scar.
Cape Painting Recipe
- Base coat with Khorne Red.
- Washed with Athonian Camoshade.
- Deepest shading with Rhinox Hide + Abaddon Black (50/50).
- Layered back up to Khorne Red.
- Extreme highlights with Evil Sunz Scarlet.
Painting Thoughts
I’m very happy with the end result on Magore’s Fiends. The road was bumpy, but it all worked out in the end.
I have always loved the look of Chaos in the fantasy line and was glad to get a go at painting some finally. I will say I’m very tired of painting skulls right now though. Seriously, each model had like 10 skulls. Each. Single. Model.
The bone armor on Magore I’m really happy with, and his axe came out cool I think.
I finally got the red tones I’ve been trying forever to get with Khorne on Ghartok. I’ve always loved that dark, brooding red look.
Zharkus is my favorite human model in the bunch. His pose is dynamic and he just looks awesome all painted up.
Riptooth was my favorite to paint, and favorite model in the warband. I was going to save him for last, but the paint stripping threw a wrench in that. Plus, it gave me a break from painting armor.
Anyway, I really liked how GW painted their Riptooth, with the blended red and black, so I basically copied what they had done. Duncan did a video on it if you’re curious.
Of course, there’s some stuff that didn’t come out perfect, however, I learned a TON working on this warband – for better or worse it was time to move on.
One lesson I took away was to wait for the entire warband to be done before sealing them. Prior, I was sealing each model as I got them done.
This time I waited, and I’m glad I did. With each model I painted, I would pick up something new, and then I was able to go back and do small, quick touch ups on the others with what I figured out. Had I sealed them one-off then I wouldn’t have been able to do that. A definite lesson to take forward with me.
Final Thoughts
So, I’m glad to have Magore’s Fiends done and now they’re ready for some games. While the setbacks sucked, it’s through setbacks that you learn the most. You just gotta grit your teeth and move forward.
Also, if you’re curious about getting into Warhammer Underworlds (the models are awesome & the game is a blast), then check out my review of the game.
Oh, if I didn’t include a recipe you’re curious about then let me know and I’ll add it.
If you’re curious about tactics and strategies with the warband, then WestRider did a great write up on Magore’s Fiends worth reading.
I’ve also got some other Warhammer Underworlds warbands all painted up if you want to take a look: Garrek’s Reavers, Ironskull’s Boyz, and Steelheart’s Champions.
Thor’s Warhammer Underworlds Warbands
I love painting miniatures and teaching people how to paint. I also really love blogging, so I've combined those two passions here.
- Creative Twilight’s Future and My Thoughts (Feedback Welcomed!) - December 4, 2021
- My Top Gift Ideas for Miniature Painters & Hobbyists + Gifts to Avoid - December 2, 2021
- The Year That Was 2020 and Where I’ve Been - January 17, 2021
Awesome models, your progress is impressive – despite you started from an high level, I mean, from when I started to look at your work-. Magore is my favourite, such a classy armour! Also, I love skulls, but sometimes they are too much.
Thank you.
I do feel like I’ve improved a lot. I’m definitely trying to paint better and spending a lot of time learning new techniques and trying new things. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s fun anyway.
God, so many skulls! Between the 4 models I think I painted over 30 skulls…
Those are wonderfully done. In particular I love the skin boend son riptooth, the axe on Magore and then all of the rest of Magore.
I have that same pack sitting to be worked on myself. This is a challenge I shall have to rise up to.
Thank you.
Just keep pushing yourself. My painting has come a very long way in recent years because of that.
Thank you.
Just keep pushing yourself. My painting has come a very long way in recent years because of that.
Wonderful stuff mate. I think these are your best models to date.
I really like how the bases compliment the models……bloody gorgeous!
Thank you.
Those bases were about the death of me. Twice I tried complicated techniques that just didn’t look right. Ironically, the final method was back to basics and it looks a lot better.
Great stuff! I like this approach, especially for something like this where you’re representing a large Faction with just a handful of Models. I think I might have swapped the colour schemes on Magore and Ghartok, just so Magore and Riptooth looked more similar, but on the other hand, having Magore stand out from the rest of the group like that in his bone armour is pretty awesome.
And yes, so many skulls! And a bunch of them are down in the crevices of the bases, where they’re hard to get at and the detail on them is kind of shallow. Also, why is it that skulls are pretty much the only bones we ever see on bases or scenery? Skulls are really a fairly minor percentage of the bones in a body. What’s happening to all the rest of the bones?
Thanks!
Yeah, I wanted Magore to stand out. Originally I was going to do them all in bone but then had my bright idea of different schemes. Plus, doing that bone on each of them was going to be more work than I wanted considering my setback.
Well, it is “Skulls for the skull throne.” and not “Femurs for the femur throne.” ;)
It kind of makes me think that out back of Khorne’s place, there’s just this monumental heap of headless skeletons, like a really macabre garbage dump or something.
It could be “Bones for the Bone Throne”, but “Bone Throne” sounds more like something Slaanesh might have around ;)
Also, it applies even to stuff that’s not specifically Khornate at all, like the two fantasy Realm of Battle boards. There are literal fields of skulls there, and not another bone to be seen.
LOL! Bone throne.
I hear you on the skulls. I guess they see it as the scariest part. Some rib cages would be pretty brutal.
I really like how they turned out. The way you went for this palette rather than the usual gory red of Khorne. Sorry to hear about the mishaps you had, its all in a modeller’s day work I suppose :P glad you could overcome them!
I am slowly getting into Shadespire myself, I got those guys too and the new gobbos. Everybody says it’s a really fun game, I had to try it out.
Thank you and you’re right, just another day painting really, the good and bad.
It’s a super fun game. I’m really enjoying the fact I don’t have to spend 2-3 hours playing one game like I do in 40K. If you have a bad game, big deal, play another since it only takes around 30 minutes.
Exceptional work with these guys.
I grabbed a box of the normal guys to use as 40k khorne berserkers as they are that damn good, but my efforts are eclipsed by you good sir. (I essentially used the heresy world eaters scheme and went nuts with the blood effect paint on the front of the models and weapons.)
My group is planning to do some kill team during our winter break and I do have a pile of primaris marines lying around from the conquest magazine, I’m feeling inspired to go all out on a deathwatch squad for this after seeing your models above.
Thank you.
It’s easy to put in the extra effort when you only need to paint 4 dudes for something. I can assure you that my 40K stuff is not at this level other than HQ models.
Do it, push yourself as a painter and you’ll be glad for it.
Yeah, Working on a smaller number of models does improve what you can do with them. (Note to self: stop looking at the Acastus knight porphyrion model on the forgeworld website)
I suppose I will find this out, as during my antics for Dreadtober I have been slowly preparing to paint up up a rogues gallery of NPC characters for a dark heresy game I am GM’ing. To give the players a reference point on how things are looking. It also gives me an excuse to buy and paint some truly oddball minis and then convert them. As I prefer doing conversions and thinking of how to pull off the crazy ideas. {I have a spare Mhara gal dreadnought lying around and because I want him to really stand out I have ordered a second claw for him and will be trying to figure out how to convert, build and paint him while he is ripping an imperial guardsman in half.}
That’s a cool idea. Having NPCs represented like that is always fun and, as you said, a great excuse for more models :)
I’ve been following you doing these on Facebook, and I love the colour scheme you have chosen (the different colour armour for each really works). I think my favourite is the black armour, as it works so well with your brass (def stealing that recipe btw)
Ps. Where’s discus gone?
Thanks, and the black one is my favorite too. Originally they were all black, then I had to strip them, and figured I’d try something else.
I removed Disqus. It’s been a consideration for a very long time. Mostly because it adds excess overhead. I do like it, and it has some great features, but most of the cool features weren’t being used, and the blog doesn’t get the comments it once did, so I opted for speed and something native to WordPress.
I really like how they turned out. The way you went for this palette rather than the usual gory red of Khorne. Sorry to hear about the mishaps you had, its all in a modeller’s day work I suppose :P glad you could overcome them!
I am slowly getting into Shadespire myself, I got those guys too and the new gobbos. Everybody says it’s a really fun game, I had to try it out.
Thank you and you’re right, just another day painting really, the good and bad.
It’s a super fun game. I’m really enjoying the fact I don’t have to spend 2-3 hours playing one game like I do in 40K. If you have a bad game, big deal, play another since it only takes around 30 minutes.
Great stuff! I like this approach, especially for something like this where you’re representing a large Faction with just a handful of Models. I think I might have swapped the colour schemes on Magore and Ghartok, just so Magore and Riptooth looked more similar, but on the other hand, having Magore stand out from the rest of the group like that in his bone armour is pretty awesome.
And yes, so many skulls! And a bunch of them are down in the crevices of the bases, where they’re hard to get at and the detail on them is kind of shallow. Also, why is it that skulls are pretty much the only bones we ever see on bases or scenery? Skulls are really a fairly minor percentage of the bones in a body. What’s happening to all the rest of the bones?
Thanks!
Yeah, I wanted Magore to stand out. Originally I was going to do them all in bone but then had my bright idea of different schemes. Plus, doing that bone on each of them was going to be more work than I wanted considering my setback.
Well, it is “Skulls for the skull throne.” and not “Femurs for the femur throne.” ;)
It kind of makes me think that out back of Khorne’s place, there’s just this monumental heap of headless skeletons, like a really macabre garbage dump or something.
It could be “Bones for the Bone Throne”, but “Bone Throne” sounds more like something Slaanesh might have around ;)
Also, it applies even to stuff that’s not specifically Khornate at all, like the two fantasy Realm of Battle boards. There are literal fields of skulls there, and not another bone to be seen.
LOL! Bone throne.
I hear you on the skulls. I guess they see it as the scariest part. Some rib cages would be pretty brutal.
I’ve been following you doing these on Facebook, and I love the colour scheme you have chosen (the different colour armour for each really works). I think my favourite is the black armour, as it works so well with your brass (def stealing that recipe btw)
Ps. Where’s discus gone?
…and I put Disqus back. God, why can’t anyone make a native commenting system for WP that doesn’t suck?
Thanks, and the black one is my favorite too. Originally they were all black, then I had to strip them, and figured I’d try something else.
I removed Disqus. It’s been a consideration for a very long time. Mostly because it adds excess overhead. I do like it, and it has some great features, but most of the cool features weren’t being used, and the blog doesn’t get the comments it once did, so I opted for speed and something native to WordPress.
Wonderful stuff mate. I think these are your best models to date.
I really like how the bases compliment the models……bloody gorgeous!
Thank you.
Those bases were about the death of me. Twice I tried complicated techniques that just didn’t look right. Ironically, the final method was back to basics and it looks a lot better.
Exceptional work with these guys.
I grabbed a box of the normal guys to use as 40k khorne berserkers as they are that damn good, but my efforts are eclipsed by you good sir. (I essentially used the heresy world eaters scheme and went nuts with the blood effect paint on the front of the models and weapons.)
My group is planning to do some kill team during our winter break and I do have a pile of primaris marines lying around from the conquest magazine, I’m feeling inspired to go all out on a deathwatch squad for this after seeing your models above.
Thank you.
It’s easy to put in the extra effort when you only need to paint 4 dudes for something. I can assure you that my 40K stuff is not at this level other than HQ models.
Do it, push yourself as a painter and you’ll be glad for it.
Yeah, Working on a smaller number of models does improve what you can do with them. (Note to self: stop looking at the Acastus knight porphyrion model on the forgeworld website)
I suppose I will find this out, as during my antics for Dreadtober I have been slowly preparing to paint up up a rogues gallery of NPC characters for a dark heresy game I am GM’ing. To give the players a reference point on how things are looking. It also gives me an excuse to buy and paint some truly oddball minis and then convert them. As I prefer doing conversions and thinking of how to pull off the crazy ideas. {I have a spare Mhara gal dreadnought lying around and because I want him to really stand out I have ordered a second claw for him and will be trying to figure out how to convert, build and paint him while he is ripping an imperial guardsman in half.}
That’s a cool idea. Having NPCs represented like that is always fun and, as you said, a great excuse for more models :)
Once again, amazing job. And I love your color choices! The deep red is so cliched. This bone-like look is way cooler!
Thank you.
I thought the bone would be a nice change of pace, and I do like the result.
Thor, I am kind of to the point in painting where I have gotten pretty good at the basics and I am challenging myself with more advanced techniques and I have a question. On Magore, you stated that you shaded with Karak Stone and did “deeper shading” with steel legion drab. I have only used shades for that kind of thing, how did you shade with layer paints? Or am I just misunderstanding the usage of the term? These guys look awesome!
Thank you. I had a blast painting these guys after the initial mishaps.
So, what I do is thin the paint very thin with water or Lahmian Medium. I get it very translucent and then build up progressive layers, like normal layering, to darken the color. It’s a form of blending and I did a tutorial on it here: https://creativetwilight.com/blending-layering/
It takes some time, patience, and practice, but once you get the hang of it then it will change how you paint everything.