Push It Real Good!

I had a free moment between commission work. Did I use it to paint anything in my project queue? Hell no! I knocked out one of my "micro distractions." Micro distraction is the name I give to quick little projects that distract from the long-running unit grinds or large models that take weeks (sometimes years) to finish. These often result from a spark of inspiration for a conversion or an army accessory that can usually be knocked out in a day or two.

The Screaming Bell/ Plague Furnace has always irked me because it overhangs the back of its base in such a way that models can't be ranked up behind it. If they have staves or halberds (in the case of Stormvermin) just forget it!

 

 There.  Perfect!

 

I had been toying with the idea of making a base to fit behind it, with models posed like they are actually pushing the Plague Furnace, and I finally pulled the trigger. (Hey, it was either this or spend the day blending the flesh on those two Stormfiends. I intend to put that off as long as possible!)  I began with a 40mm and two 20mm bases to accommodate the six models in the spaces behind the machine.

 

 

The bases were glued down on a thin sheet of styrene card, and the gaps filled in with Aves Epoxy Sculpt. (You'll notice that I made two bases, because I'll eventually do this for my Stormvermin unit so they can push the Screaming Bell.)

 

 

Once the epoxy was dry, I cut the card around the bases and filed the edges to create a smooth, beveled side.

 

 

I super glued some ballast on the top, and then began adding the Plague Monks. I started with the front models, angling them in such a way that they wouldn't collide with the machine's framework. Their weapon hands were replaced with Crypt Ghoul hands– They are nicely sized, open hands, perfect for pushing the Plague Furnace.

 

 

Once the first two monks were positioned, I began adding the others. To attach the skinny Ghoul hands, I drilled out the sleeve and shaved the end of the wrist with a hobby knife so the hand pluged into the socket. This provided a much more secure bond than simply gluing two tiny flat surfaces together.

 

Patty Cake at +1 To Hit!

 

The models in the back were posed to be pushing the ones in front of them, and everything lines up perfectly with the furnace.

 

 

I painted the monks to match the rest of the unit. To see the process I used, check out my Painting a Plethora of Plague Monks tutorial.

 

 

The monks rank up perfectly with the Plague Furnace now, and my modeling OCD is satiated for another day!

 

 

Coming up, We'll take the terrain train underground to see some new Wild West Exodus game tables.

 

 

'Til next time!