When I first saw the Oathmark Revenants and idea
immediately popped into my head “they would make great
undead to add to my Lord of the Rings armies”, these
were the armies I fast painted in lockdown as detailed in
the Oathmark Express articles, which I did and wrote
with wargaming buddy John Treadaway, sometime back
(see here). I had thought of this when the Oathmark
Skeletons were released, but I wanted ghosts or undead
not full-on boney chaps so the Revenants would be ideal
I thought.
The troops I was hoping to represent were the Dead Men
of Dunharrow, appropriately also know as the
Oathbreakers. These Men were cursed to remain in
Middle-earth after they abandoned their oath to aid the
good side in the War of the Last Alliance. The Army of the
Dead was led by the King of the Dead.
I had built build up a frame of five models already for
immediately popped into my head “they would make great
undead to add to my Lord of the Rings armies”, these
were the armies I fast painted in lockdown as detailed in
the Oathmark Express articles, which I did and wrote
with wargaming buddy John Treadaway, sometime back
(see here). I had thought of this when the Oathmark
Skeletons were released, but I wanted ghosts or undead
not full-on boney chaps so the Revenants would be ideal
I thought.
The troops I was hoping to represent were the Dead Men
of Dunharrow, appropriately also know as the
Oathbreakers. These Men were cursed to remain in
Middle-earth after they abandoned their oath to aid the
good side in the War of the Last Alliance. The Army of the
Dead was led by the King of the Dead.
I had built build up a frame of five models already for
OATHMARK EXPRESS
The Dead Men of Dunharrow here led by the King of the Dead
publicity photography, and fortunately still had them
around so I experimented on them so see if I could do a
fast job on them like the rest of the armies we did for
Oathmark Express. Well it didn’t quite workout as I had
envisaged, for two fortunate reasons.
The first reason came when I showed them to Nick and
he said, “Trouble is, the description of them describes
their spears like a winter thicket, and the Revs don't have
spears”… and when someone quotes Tolkien at you it’s
time to listen. The quote is by Legolas. "I see shapes of
Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud,
and spears like winter-thickets on a misty night. The Dead
are following." So I needed spearmen…
The second reason was in spite of the fact I had already
painted the first five, I wasn’t entirely happy with the end
results, so I was pleased have another go at them and
see if I could get a more satisfactory finish.
around so I experimented on them so see if I could do a
fast job on them like the rest of the armies we did for
Oathmark Express. Well it didn’t quite workout as I had
envisaged, for two fortunate reasons.
The first reason came when I showed them to Nick and
he said, “Trouble is, the description of them describes
their spears like a winter thicket, and the Revs don't have
spears”… and when someone quotes Tolkien at you it’s
time to listen. The quote is by Legolas. "I see shapes of
Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud,
and spears like winter-thickets on a misty night. The Dead
are following." So I needed spearmen…
The second reason was in spite of the fact I had already
painted the first five, I wasn’t entirely happy with the end
results, so I was pleased have another go at them and
see if I could get a more satisfactory finish.
MAKING SPEARMEN
The first task was to make them spearmen. The
Revenants come armed with a variety of weapons but no
spears, so I needed to look elsewhere for spear armed
hands and arms, as it were, to graft on to the Revenants.
I started by sorting out all the spear armed arms I could
find, and trying to workout if that would fit and suit the
Revenants. I rejected the dwarf and men spears as being
to big and solid, I wanted a lighter look to them. As it
happens I keep a large bag of spare plastic parts for just
such an occasion left over from all the other frames I have
made up over the years. The donor arms holding spears
came from across the North Star plastics ranges, most
from the Oathmark Elf Infantry, with other contributions
from, Oathmark Goblins, Frostgrave Cultists and
Soldiers II and just one from Oathmark Skeleton
Infantry.
Revenants come armed with a variety of weapons but no
spears, so I needed to look elsewhere for spear armed
hands and arms, as it were, to graft on to the Revenants.
I started by sorting out all the spear armed arms I could
find, and trying to workout if that would fit and suit the
Revenants. I rejected the dwarf and men spears as being
to big and solid, I wanted a lighter look to them. As it
happens I keep a large bag of spare plastic parts for just
such an occasion left over from all the other frames I have
made up over the years. The donor arms holding spears
came from across the North Star plastics ranges, most
from the Oathmark Elf Infantry, with other contributions
from, Oathmark Goblins, Frostgrave Cultists and
Soldiers II and just one from Oathmark Skeleton
Infantry.
Building armies continues
Part 4: The Dead are following
Kev Dallimore
PAINTING SPEARMEN
Keeping to the same ethos as before in this Oathmark
Express series I wanted them to be super fast painting so
no shading or highlighting, a straight neat paint job, then
Army Painter Quickshade Washes all over to provide
all the shading and contrast. As before this relied on two
main things the quality of the models and the neatness of
my painting. I had planned initially to also use a coat of
Army Painter Quickshade - Strong Shade varnish, but
after a test out on the first five Revenants I made without
Express series I wanted them to be super fast painting so
no shading or highlighting, a straight neat paint job, then
Army Painter Quickshade Washes all over to provide
all the shading and contrast. As before this relied on two
main things the quality of the models and the neatness of
my painting. I had planned initially to also use a coat of
Army Painter Quickshade - Strong Shade varnish, but
after a test out on the first five Revenants I made without
spears, I decided it didn’t quite give the ethereal look I
was hoping for so I decided not to go with it for the rest.
This meant I couldn’t use the first five for the Dead Men
of Dunharrow but they aren’t wasted and have been
repurposed for Frostgrave…
PRIMER
The models were sprayed up with car primer, very lightly,
and then Army Painter Uniform Grey Colour Primer
Spray.
was hoping for so I decided not to go with it for the rest.
This meant I couldn’t use the first five for the Dead Men
of Dunharrow but they aren’t wasted and have been
repurposed for Frostgrave…
PRIMER
The models were sprayed up with car primer, very lightly,
and then Army Painter Uniform Grey Colour Primer
Spray.
I then carefully snipped off the hand holding the spear at the
wrist at an angle that would hopefully match a handless
Revenant arm. (this is a Elf Spear)
I then carefully snipped off the hand holding the spear at
the wrist at an angle that would hopefully match a
handless Revenant arm. As luck would have it there was
a nice crease at the wrist (on the elves) that was just right
and off the hand came a treat, but be careful not to nick
the spear or yourself when cutting. Tidy up the spear and
hand before you do the surgery so that it’s all nice a clean
to pop onto the waiting arm.
Initially I did think I would have to slice off loads of sword
hands but fortunately the right arms for the two handed
axes are hand free, because the hand is moulded on the
axe, grasping it, and not on the arm. It could have been
made for it! Of course, I did slice off three or four sword
hands before this occurred too me, doh! However it wasn’t
wasted effort as I used those too and it added a bit more
variety to the mix of arms. Always snip off components
with modelling side-clutters and tidy up with a knife.
the wrist at an angle that would hopefully match a
handless Revenant arm. As luck would have it there was
a nice crease at the wrist (on the elves) that was just right
and off the hand came a treat, but be careful not to nick
the spear or yourself when cutting. Tidy up the spear and
hand before you do the surgery so that it’s all nice a clean
to pop onto the waiting arm.
Initially I did think I would have to slice off loads of sword
hands but fortunately the right arms for the two handed
axes are hand free, because the hand is moulded on the
axe, grasping it, and not on the arm. It could have been
made for it! Of course, I did slice off three or four sword
hands before this occurred too me, doh! However it wasn’t
wasted effort as I used those too and it added a bit more
variety to the mix of arms. Always snip off components
with modelling side-clutters and tidy up with a knife.
A nice crease at the wrist (on the elves) that was just right
and off the hand came a treat, but be careful not to nick the
spear or yourself when cutting.
Fortunately the right arms for the two handed axes are hand
free, because the hand is moulded on the axe.
Always snip off components with modelling side-clutters and
tidy up with a knife.
Once you have your component handless arm and spear
with a hand on it, you can assemble these and then fit
them to the body. To get a good position for the new limb
with spear I just lightly tack the arm and hand in place with
just a smidge of glue, this allows you a bit of play to
reposition if needed. Then once you are happy slosh on
more glue to fix it in place. On most of these guys I tried to
have more than one attachment point, to give it a bit more
strength, as these figures will be gamed with so need
with a hand on it, you can assemble these and then fit
them to the body. To get a good position for the new limb
with spear I just lightly tack the arm and hand in place with
just a smidge of glue, this allows you a bit of play to
reposition if needed. Then once you are happy slosh on
more glue to fix it in place. On most of these guys I tried to
have more than one attachment point, to give it a bit more
strength, as these figures will be gamed with so need
To get a good position for the new limb with spear I just
lightly tack the arm and hand in place with just a smidge of
glue.
On most of these guys I tried to have more than one
attachment point, to give it a bit more strength, as these
figures will be gamed with so need some robustness.
some robustness. Often the spear was glued to the
ground or thigh as well as the new wrist joint.
Then you can assemble the rest of the Revenant in a way
that looks good with the new spear arm.
And here are some more examples of the conversions,
see if you can spot where the odd rogue heads have
come from!
ground or thigh as well as the new wrist joint.
Then you can assemble the rest of the Revenant in a way
that looks good with the new spear arm.
And here are some more examples of the conversions,
see if you can spot where the odd rogue heads have
come from!
Then you can assemble the rest of the Revenant in a way that looks good with the new spear arm.
And here are some more examples of the conversions, see if you can spot where the odd rogue heads have come from!
COLOUR SCHEME
As ever keep the block of colours neat! It’s not a vast
range of colours but luckily Army Painter does enough
greys and the odd extra bit of mixing gives you enough.
Below is a list of the sort of colours I used, and as you can
see I have mixed it up a bit throughout the unit.
Flesh – (or where flesh should be) Ash Grey.
Dark Clothing and boots – Necromancer Cloak or
Uniform Grey mixed with more Black.
range of colours but luckily Army Painter does enough
greys and the odd extra bit of mixing gives you enough.
Below is a list of the sort of colours I used, and as you can
see I have mixed it up a bit throughout the unit.
Flesh – (or where flesh should be) Ash Grey.
Dark Clothing and boots – Necromancer Cloak or
Uniform Grey mixed with more Black.
Clothing – Uniform Grey mixed with Black.
Light Clothing and boots – Stone Golem or Uniform
Grey mixed with White.
Light Hair and teeth – Gorgon Hide.
Woodwork and boots – Uniform Grey.
Armour and metalwork – Bright Gold mixed with
Shinning Silver.
Wash - Quickshade Washes Green Tone all over the
whole model, I did a couple of coats.
As ever keep the block of colours neat! Flesh – (or where flesh should be) Ash Grey.
Dark Clothing and boots – Necromancer Cloak or Uniform Grey mixed with more Black.
Armour and metalwork – Bright Gold mixed with Shinning Silver.
VARNISH
As before these models are to be troops on the table not
cabinet pieces they needed a good protective coat of
varnish. This was in fact two coats of Anti-Shine Matt
Varnish, brushed on.
FINISHING
I used the same mixed up basing compound, which is
cabinet pieces they needed a good protective coat of
varnish. This was in fact two coats of Anti-Shine Matt
Varnish, brushed on.
FINISHING
I used the same mixed up basing compound, which is
Wash - Quickshade Washes Green Tone all over the whole model, I did a couple of coats.
made up by John by the bucket. It is self-coloured and
dries to a rock hard mostly matt textured finish. Once the
compound was thoroughly dry and hard it was drybrushed
with Desert Yellow, in a fairly rough manner and covered
with various flocks.
THAT’S IT AGAIN
One layer of paint and a wash, no highlighting, just
neatness, good models and good basin
dries to a rock hard mostly matt textured finish. Once the
compound was thoroughly dry and hard it was drybrushed
with Desert Yellow, in a fairly rough manner and covered
with various flocks.
THAT’S IT AGAIN
One layer of paint and a wash, no highlighting, just
neatness, good models and good basin
Far left has a Frostgrave Cultist spear, next right Frostgrave Soldiers II spear, next another Cultist spear, next another
Frostgrave Soldiers II spear and far right has an Oathmark Elf spear.
Far left has a head from the Oathmark Skeletons set and second from left’s head is from the Frostgrave Barbarians set, these
two both have Oathmark Goblins spears. The next two have Oathmark Elf spears and the one far right has a spear from the
Oathmark Skeletons set.
These boys all have Oathmark Elf spears.
These are the metal command figures for the Revenants.
Here they are as one big unit for Oathmark.
Here are the first five non spear armed I did, then rejected for the Dead Men of Dunharrow, based up to have another life or
death in Frostgrave.