[Archive] The Berserker Dwarfs of Fire Canyon #1 and #2 (Russian Alternative)

Azazel:

Hi guys! First real content post here, so I’ll make it a backwards double. First up will be sharing the painted versions of these two figures that I’ve finally completed, and then I’ll follow-up a bit later with the (older) review of the two figures that I got from RA (I’m still repairing my wordpress blog, which got trashed by Photobucket along with millions of other works, as I’m aware that you guys are acutely experiencing here as well) :frowning:

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy them and find them to be up to scratch alongside the fine content that you have here.





Back in April, I reviewed a pair of Russian Alternative’s Fire Canyon Berserker Dwarfs - essentially Chaos Dwarf Slayers. At the time I was very happy with the sculpts and their quality. Recently, I managed to finish off painting that pair, and so I present them to you today.

The palette I’ve chosen to use is influenced both by previous Chaos Dwarfs - as I’ll explain - and also GW’s Dwarf Slayers with a few tweaks, as I want them to be immediately recognisable as a mutation of the Slayer Cult, while also being distinct in their own right. So I’ve gone for deep red hair and beards rather than orangey-ginger. The tattoos on these Berserkers are in a different, angular style rather than the rounded, Maori/Tribal/Celtic style of my Slayers, and the colour used is a deep turquoise/sea green (Vallejo Panzer Colours “Periscopes”) rather than the deep blues used on the Slayers.





Similarly, both the Berserkers’ weapons and their bling are done in a cold brass, shaded with a hint of green rather than the warmer tones I use on the Slayers. The green is carried across to their pants, as I decided that going for stripey trousers was just too close, and too jaunty for Chaos Dwarfs. I could have gone for other patterns, triangles or whatnot, but again - I decided against it on these guys. Simple, grim and functional.


NOT MY WORK! - Khazek Doomlord painted by Qiao Zhong

While the Chaos Dwarfs of the past few decades have had very much an “official” scheme of Red, Black and Brass, I have a strong and influential memory of a Model from the old Chaos Dwarf Renegades box, released in 1986, that has stuck with me. Specifically Khazek Doomlord, in his deep green armour. I can’t locate the decent-quality 'eavy Metal White Dwarf pic right now, and the SoL image is unfortunately poor quality, but Qiao Zhong’s modern interpretation of the original scheme shows the overall “feel” pretty well.

The original really has stuck with me through all these years, and was echoed in my Chaos Ogre that I painted a couple of years ago (link to be inserted after I fix those posts), and the vision I have for my Chaos Dwarf army is one that will incorporate both the red/black/brass of modern Chaos Dwarfs and the red/green/brass typified by Khazek.





The second of the two Berserker Dwarfs of Fire Canyon is painted in pretty much the same scheme as his fellow. With his more “open” back, there was space to go a little further with his tattoos, which, as with his fellow, are a mixture of the various dwarven runes conveniently compiled here at CDO.





Basing was done with GW’s “Martian” basing paints, and slate painted dark grey/black to represent obsidian. I felt that the parched grass was needed to add a little bit of additional contrast in texture. The skulls on both figures provide interest, and also direction when they get used as champions in our games of Gorechosen.


L-R: Warhammer Quest Slayer, Daemonslayer, Fire Canyon #2, Skull Pass Warrior, Fire Canyon #1, Giant Slayer.

To finish up, a scale shot comparing them to some of the most appropriate and one of the most common figures from the Dwarf range. Unfortunately, I only have one other Chaos Dwarf painted, and he’s one that dates from that Renegades boxed set, so he’s useless for modern scale pics. I’ve been slowly working on this pair alongside my regular dwarf Slayers, as it seemed the easiest way to do it. Unfortunately, I’d misplaced the box with the unit of regular Bersekers - as well as their awesome looking trolls, both of which I had intended to review and then paint by now, but I found 'em after typing this up! :cheers

Carcearion:

OOhh cool!

I have said it before in many a thread, and I’ll say it again here: I love the Russia Alternative chaos dwarfs! The paler flesh and the woad runes adds a nice tinge of chaosyness to them!

Do you have more plans for Chaos Dwarfs to come?


[align=center]2017 Image Salvage



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Azazel:

Thanks for the reply and kind words!

Yes, I have a few units worth of RA CDs, and also several units of Forge World, as well as a bunch of older models from Marauder and a few Classic Citadel ones, predating “big hats” - and also a few Mantic ones. I don’t play WHFB anymore (since 5th/“Herohammer”) or T9A, but I will be using them in Kings of War with the WHFB background, and probably friendly skirmish games using the AoS system (amongst others) while using the WHFB background. In fact, I’ll be able to play Skirmish with them long before I have a R&F army, so…

I’ve been working my way through my Dwarf Slayers over the past year, and so I thought what better way to finally start on my Chaos Dwarfs than to do the Berserkers while also working on Slayers, so next up will be the troopers for the RA Berserkers.

Admiral:

Nice paintwork and good bases!

AtomTaylor:

Nicely done.

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