With the Vampires getting a new book this year, I dug out my old Undead and decided they would go to the Grand Tournie this year (The CDs had 2 years of constant play so I figured they could use a holiday, plus I’m fed up of my spontaneously combusting anvil).
My old Undead were Samurai themed, but as many of them were looking a bit shabby, I decided the time had come for a fresh army. But I like the theme so much (I am half Japanese so its very close to my heart) I decided to keep it up.
And yes, in true Grand Tournie style, its been left until the last moment:cheers
Here are some work in progress shots, will post more as (if) stuff gets done.
Samurai Grave Guard (Arrrrg the plates are worse than twirly beards)
Gaki (Ghouls)
Oni Varghulf
The sooner his ass gets covered the better
3 of my old veterans. These guys made it into the new selection.
The skellies are Grave Guard, so they have to look pretty heavy. On the plus side, I only need to do 15
I have my old Undead and my Slaanesh Chaos Warriors, plus my Iron Warriors and World Eaters 40k armies. They are pretty shabby compared to my recent stuff, but I’ll see if I can get some photos done this week.
I have my old Undead and my Slaanesh Chaos Warriors, plus my Iron Warriors and World Eaters 40k armies. They are pretty shabby compared to my recent stuff, but I'll see if I can get some photos done this week.
Baggronor
Im just starting an Iron Warriors army so i would love to see yours.
Those Grave Guard are turning out awesome. Great GS work.
Well, I’m currently torn between 2 Samurai warlords from history; Oda Nobunaga (of Onimusha fame) would make a cool Vampire Lord. He has a reputation as probably the most bloodthirsty Daimyo of his age. He died after being betrayed by one of his own generals; he committed seppuku in a burning temple, but they never found his body:)
He’s appeared in many many console and pc games as a demon/undead, and is pretty much perfect for the general of an undead Samurai army.
The other is Amakusa Shiro Tokisada, leader of the Shimabara rebellion. I think he was the final boss in Samurai Spirits on the snes years ago:)
He is often portrayed as a sorcerer, but he was a Christian in actuality so maybe not so suitable:)
Really coool! Can’t wait to see the grave guard ashigaru and the blood dragon Shogun ^^
I had an idea years ago to make a Cathay style vampire counts army where the elite troops would be terracotta soldiers. Alas, after “The Mummy³” I will never be able to realize this theme… not only because I wouldn’t want my army to resemble stuff from such a lousy movie but because it would not be original anymore. An undead Nippon army is quite cool, though.
I have to admit Mummy 3 did look like a great idea melded with an awful movie.
Decided on Nobunaga, he is blatantly cool. Plus I can have his wife as a banshee with her ethereal bodyguards I was going to have Blood Knight Samurai cavalry, but the frenzy is too annoying. So Wraiths it is.
The plates are a right pain: basically I make a flat square of green stuff, divide it into 4, then use the edge of my sculpting tool to push one edge of each join down, giving the layered effect. I will run over them with a file at the end to make them as flat as possible. They really really reaaaally do my head in… you would think I’d learn:hat
Well, I did their helmets and weapons yesterday, they look rude now. Will post pics when I finish the command group.
The zombies are Ashigaru from my old army, basically just zombies with loincloths/heavy weather straw ponchos and Jingasa (metal rice hats). As there are none in the starting force that I put on the table, I will just use my old ones. I plan to raise zombies onto the objectives, then use my Lord’s hat to make them WS7 in a typically annoying VC fashion :cheers
Gaki are the Starving Ghosts; found in Hell, they are tormented by only being able to eat one thing, and that one thing is always something disgusting like rotting corpses or excrement. They look just like Ghouls too
The Oni is just an Oni, a Japanese ogre/demon. They can look like your typical ogre or something more humanoid/sinister. They usually have between 1-3 visible horns, and often have strangely-coloured skin (like red or blue). They are generally portrayed as man-eating brutes, although originally they were the guardians of Hell tasked with keeping the damned inside.
I made the face of my Varghulf resemble a Hannya mask from traditional Noh theatre (still need to add horns to him).
Gaki are the Starving Ghosts; found in Hell, they are tormented by only being able to eat one thing, and that one thing is always something disgusting like rotting corpses or excrement. They look just like Ghouls too :)
The Oni is just an Oni, a Japanese ogre/demon. They can look like your typical ogre or something more humanoid/sinister. They usually have between 1-3 visible horns, and often have strangely-coloured skin (like red or blue). They are generally portrayed as man-eating brutes, although originally they were the guardians of Hell tasked with keeping the damned inside.
I made the face of my Varghulf resemble a Hannya mask from traditional Noh theatre (still need to add horns to him).
Baggronor
gaki is also the slang word used for bratty children. particularly boys. alot of the times it's used to reference a pack of kids.
oni can also be the spirit of a deceased person.
I like that you picked zombies to be your ashigaru, in that ashigaru were the common foot soldiers. They were pretty much throw away warriors/cannon fodder as it were.
Personally I think Nobunaga would be the most recognized of the names you are looking at.
Gaki are the Starving Ghosts; found in Hell, they are tormented by only being able to eat one thing, and that one thing is always something disgusting like rotting corpses or excrement. They look just like Ghouls too :)
The Oni is just an Oni, a Japanese ogre/demon. They can look like your typical ogre or something more humanoid/sinister. They usually have between 1-3 visible horns, and often have strangely-coloured skin (like red or blue). They are generally portrayed as man-eating brutes, although originally they were the guardians of Hell tasked with keeping the damned inside.
I made the face of my Varghulf resemble a Hannya mask from traditional Noh theatre (still need to add horns to him).
Baggronor
Okay thanks mate :hat off
I have never been that much into japanese/Chinese culture - but sometimes I have been leaning this and that - so another thing that I can add to my book of knowlegede :)
