I have always liked the Skaven from when I first read about them in the 1986 Citadel Spring Journal (which I never got hold of until 1987, and now my copy has been sadly lost over the years :( ). I liked the slightly industrial look of the rounded style of armour and masks, the technological weapons, and that feeling of dark menace from vast almost unstoppable armies.
It was however that vastness of army which stopped me from properly collecting a Skaven army at the time. With all the other armies I was working on, Warhammer, 40k, and other things, I never could commit to financing what I assumed would be an expensive project for my at the time. Apart from the plastic Skaven in the Warhammer Regiments box, it was only possible to get plastic Skaven from the Heroquest range via (the slow) mail order. So it meant collecting a metal army of about 200 odd models, which leaving aside the trouble carrying it, would have been pricey on my budget even in the 1980's. So I placed the idea on the 'to do list'.
With myself undertaking the Warhammer Armies project, and with the relative ease and cheapness of buying 1980's Skaven on e-bay, I decided now was the time. The bulk of the infantry, Clanrats and Slaves, are made up from plastic Skaven from the 1980's Warhammer Regiments boxset, or from the Heroquest Skaven. For the Strormvermin I have used a mixture of the 1980's metal Skaven. All of the regiments have metal commands from the 1980's (except the Slave who will have a converted plastic standard bearer). I made a conscious decsion to only use 1980's models to give a feel of a Skaven army from the time (approximately 1988 to 1991). In essence the army I never got around to collecting then! I don't know how much the army has cost to buy in bits from e-bay (I only had 20 or so Skaven which I bought in the 1980's), but I doubt if it was more than the price tag of 25 years ago :) .
The 3,000 point Skaven Army List.
Army General: Level 20 Skaven, Hellhoned Blade, Spell Tempered Heavy Armour = 158 points.
Level 25 Wizard = 327 points.
Level 15 Wizard = 147 points.
Magically bound Wyvern = 180 points.
19 Stormvermin, light armour, shield, double handed weapon, Standard Bearer, Musican = 189 points
[to be led by the Army General]
30 Clanrats, hand weapon, light armour, shield, Standard bearer, Musican, Level 15 Hero with heavy Armour, Hellhoned Blade = 296 points.
30 Clanrats, hand weapon, light armour, shield, Standard bearer, Musican, Level 10 Hero with heavy Armour, double handed weapon = 239 points.
30 Clanrats, hand weapon, light armour, shield, Standard bearer, Musican, Level 10 Hero with heavy Armour, double handed weapon = 239 points.
30 Clanrats, hand weapon, light armour, shield, Standard bearer, Musican, Level 10 Hero with heavy Armour, double handed weapon = 239 points.
40 Slaves, hand weapon, shield, Standard Bearer, Musican, Level 15 Hero, heavy armour, double handed weapon = 200 points.
6 Rat Ogres, with 3 Skaven Beastmasters with light armour, shield = 261 points.
4 Warp-Fire Throwers, 324 points.
3 Jeazzailachis = 117 points.
3 Poisoned Wind Globadiers, light armour = 78 points.
Total 3,000 points.
As you can see, it's a lot of models for a 3,000 point army, 180 foot soldiers, 7 weapon teams, 3 globaiders, 6 Rat Ogres with 3 handlers, and 2 Wizards and thier bound pet Wyvern.
The main tactics for the army is simply to advance and engage in melee with the covering fire from Warpfire Throwers and Jezzails. Difficult enemy units with be deal with by the Rat Ogres and/or Stormvermin. I avoided the 'trap' of just taking the minimum 20 Slaves. I have read in articles and from discussions that the 20 Slaves are usually easy to rout and then take the Clanrats with them in panic. 40 Slaves, plus the nasty suprise of a Level 15 hero will help stop that.
Painting wise there is a lot to do, but I have chosen a very simple paint scheme. I painted up a few test models and the Clanrats and Slaves will not take too long to paint once I get started. I do however still have to undercoat them (which I still like to do by hand). I also have paint strip about half of the metal models before repainting. I intend to have the army finished by the end of July.
Birds eye view of the army, nearly 200 Skaven.
Two painted test model plastic Clanrats.
The one of the left from the Warhammer Regiments box set, the other from the Heroquest range. I have kept both of the different types in seperate regiments, working out as having two regiments of each.
I have also gone for Warpstone glowing green eyes.
Skaven Slave.
All the Slaves (apart from the unit leader and Musician) are from the Warhammer Regiments box set. To differentiate them from the Clanrats I have added plain wooden looking shields bought from Hasslefree Miniatures. I will also not paint the armour metallic unlike the Clanrats, but keep it brown as they are not equipped with armour.
Two of the Beastmasters with shield added (although I will paint the shield more colourful than the Slaves ones). In the centre is the Citadel solid based C23 Slave Ogre which I am going to use as one of the Rat Ogres to add a bit of variety into the army, and to also get to use the model.
Two Skaven Wizards, in need of paintstripping.
Bound Wyvern, which is Citadel and is listed in the 0801 Young Dragons range as 'Rock Dragon'.
On the right is the army General, one of the few metal Skaven I bought in the 1980's.
I think he's pointing saying "Look, a Wyvern in a Skaven Army!"
Some of C47 Chaos Ratmen and Skaven Command miniatures. Most of the C47 Ratmen will end up as Stormvermin.
Jezzails.
I have two complete crews, and decided to use a Leader Model with Warlock Musket as a third. There is a second crew member for him with the gun rest in the post from e-bay at the moment!
Globadiers.
I have test painted the one on the left.
Warpfire Throwers.
I have always liked the idea of these and wanted to include them in the army.
This week I shall be undercoating Skaven, and if time allows paint stripping and then painting Clanrats.
