Project Log: Warscryer Citadel, Part 5

Well, that escalated quickly.

 

 

As I was working on the base for the Warscryer Citadel, I kept mulling over the idea that a second citadel would really enhance the first. Well, I bought one, so here we go...

I want the base for the citadel to incorporate other bits of scenery, including the the remains of the bottom of the tower where it had fallen away from the rock face. Using a suitably-sized scrap of 1/8-inch thick mdf board, I lay out the components and trace out their positions with a marker. The walls are from the Skull Forge Scenics Graveyard Wall and Ruined Graveyard Wall kits.

 

 

My second Terrorgheist (who is also coming along nicely, more on him in a future post) will be mounted on other parts of the ruined graveyard walls, so I am taking his rocks and using them to fill out the bottom of the rocky formation on the citadel.

 

With everything traced out, it's time to cut the board. I use an scroll saw to make the cuts...

 

...and then bevel the edges with a snap-off knife.

 

In order to allow other walls to connect with the end posts, I slice away a layer of the mdf to create recesses for the posts to fit in.

 

Now I can add connecting walls if I want to extend the perimeter wall, and they will line up correctly with the walls on the base.

 

I prime all the parts individually, and then affix them to the board with Liquid Nails construction adhesive.

 

I leave the bridge separate so I can paint the ground and door underneath it.

 

I make a flagstone walkway for the entrance by cutting rectangles of thick styrene card. I distress and notch the card so it matches the same stonework in the plastic kit, and I trace and number the position of where each stone will fit.

 

Before attaching the flagstones, I fill in some of the gaps in the walls with modeling putty, and I attach the top stones of the wall.

 

Next it's a painstaking process to glue each flagstone in place and add ballast around it. I use a mix of fine ballast, with more coarse ballast around the broken areas of the wall.

 

I add a few tombstones along the outer wall, and add coarse ballast around the stones. And, of course, what would an undead scenery piece be without a few random skulls strewn about?

 

I use the same process to make a stone walkway leading from the stairs.

 

At the end of the bridge the space is filled with broken bits of masonry. The rubble is sculpted from Aves Apoxie Sculpt® and super glued in place.

 

Finally, I add more sand and ballast around the bridge. In order to get the imprints for the bridge supports correct, I spread wood glue over the surface, fit the bridge in place, and then apply the sand and ballast. The wood glue doesn't really adhere to plastic so once it dries, I pop out the bridge, leaving precise "footprints."

 

Here's where the second citadel comes in– I separate the tower walls along the center groove.

 

The tops will be used to create a platform that the second bridge will attach to. I plan to extend its base out under the bridge to create a line of collapsed rubble where the two pieces can connect to look as though there was once a long bridge connecting the citadel to this platform. The observatory dome can fit either here, or on the main tower.

 

The rest of the walls and the battlements will be used to construct the ruined bottom of the tower.

 

That will be in the next update, and then I will finally be able to begin painting. I have another large scenery commission on my work table at the moment, so I might have to put this project off for a while. But I've gotten the go-ahead from Warcradle studios to show the progress on my blog, so I'll be starting up a project log for that table, and you'll be able to follow its construction leading up to Gencon.

As I was typing this the new announcements for Age of Sigmar also dropped– A second edition of the game is coming, along with a cool new magic supplement, and a Nighaunt battletome! I counted at least 13 new unit types and characters, and they are all gorgeous, so there's going to be plenty to keep me busy.

'Til next time!