Mjordin Stormbreaker - Wolf Lord
From the Saga of Mjordin Stormbreaker
As bad stars fall, an omen cast
The Stormbreaker makes his blow
His axe strikes true with perfect aim
Lays them to sleep on red snow.
His fury breaks their brittle bonesHis blade cleave sings of painThe Kabal lays shattered at his feetTheir Archon cleft in twain.
As I mentioned in "How I Paint: Mantis Warriors", I have a small force of Space Wolves that were first started back in November '10. Since then, sadly, all that's really been added is well... an unopened box of Thunderwolf Cavalry, a built-but-not-painted set of Fenrisian Wolves, and a built-but-not-painted Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf. Productive, eh?
Sadly this happens from time to time, and not just with me, I'm sure. As I say, I'm a collector first and foremost, and occasionally my projects align and create an army or force. With my Space Wolves, this has happened backwards. They were created as a force as part of a Winter of War challenge, and I got that painted, and a few more models to boot... but rather than projects I choose being a force, it became a force I'd chosen becoming a project, and it seems I don't work so well that way around...
Regardless, I was very proud of the force. The challenge was to start a force with a Battleforce, and then go from there. I chose the Space Wolf Battleforce, and with the components in there, built 2 units 9 Grey Hunters, a unit of Wolf Scouts, the Drop Pod, a Wolf Guard (Jorvik) and my Wolf Lord. I used a couple of bitz from the High Elf White Lions Chariot on my Wolf Lord (also, green stuffing the lions there into Fenrisian Wolves, as no models existed, for Skøll and Hjalda). All I added after that was a unit of Long Fangs (a single Devastator Box and the spare bitz from the Battleforce).
Jorvik Redwinter - Wolf Guard Battle Brother
The force always had a lot of character. I named all of the characters in the army, and even began writing a saga for the Wolf Lord himself. The more games I played, the more their stories developed. Jorvik Redwinter, above, was always my absolute favourite. He would always lead a unit of 9 Grey Hunters who deployed via drop-pod, and every game I played, they would drop down, he'd charge out and take himself out of action with his plasma pistol overheating.
Honestly, every game.
One game, I even postponed shooting with him, letting the squad fire without him so that he'd at least live beyond turn 1. He survived until turn 2, when his plasma pistol overheated and took him out of action, again.
To illustrate the point, I was using my Space Wolves in Kingston recently, and was talking about exactly this, when one of the staff members came across. "Let me try, then." he said, and promptly rolled a 1, followed by a 2.
It is sadly Jorvik's fate to be taken out of action every time he fires his plasma pistol. I've considered sawing it off and putting on a bolt pistol, but I decided it wouldn't be nearly as fun. After all, everyone loves a bit of comic relief.
"I saw my mistake and will see that I correct it."
Bran Firemane - Wolf Guard
Famed for serious 'gut issues' and thus banned from Transports.
And so on go these stories, Bran Firemane who, in one game, joined a unit in their transport after said unit had taken some very lucky shots, who then had seriously poor luck for the rest of the game. My opponent put it down to him 'letting one go' in the Rhino. This became part of his story, and all my characters have these. I'll pop them on the end of the post after the painting information, so be sure to scroll down.
When I did my Space Wolves, I had just finished reading "Prospero Burns" by Dan Abnett, and much prefered the darker "storm" greys therein to the bluey greys traditional to Space Wolves. This was also prior to the new range of paints, when the colours used there had to be mixed. As such, here's how I painted mine.
Please note the models shown were mainly painted before the new range, so the colours are approximations. I did a very quick mockup using the colours below and it was almost identical.
Storm Grey Power Armour:
Basecoat: Mechanicus Standard Grey - Large Drybrush*
Wash: Drakenhof Nightshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Mechanicus Standard Grey - Large Drybrush*
Layer: The Fang - Detail Brush
*As usual for me with Power Armour, the basecoat is a drybrush.
Red Power Armour:
Basecoat: Khorne Red - Basecoat Brush**
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush**
Wash: Carroburg Crimson - Wash Brush
Layer: Wazzdakka Red - Standard Brush
Layer: Wild Rider Red - Fine Detail Brush
**For these steps, do the Red Power Armour and Gold Detailing at the same time.
Gold Detailing:
Basecoat: Brass Scorpion - Basecoat Brush**
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush**
Layer: Runelord Brass
**For these steps, do the Red Power Armour and Gold Detailing at the same time.
Metal:
As page 94 of "How To Paint Citadel Miniatures"
Mikkael Twinfury - Wolf Guard
Bone:
Basecoat: Dryad Bark - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Steel Legion Drab - Standard Brush
Drybrush: Rakarth Flesh - Medium Drybrush
Drybrush: Terminatus Stone - Small Drybrush
Flesh:
Basecoat: Rakarth Flesh - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Reikland Fleshshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Pallid Wych Flesh - Detail Brush
Wash: Reikland Fleshshade thinned with a little Lahmean Medium - Wash Brush
Blue Gems:
Basecoat: Caledor Sky - Standard Brush
Wash: Drakenhof Nightshade - Wash Brush
Layer: White Scar - Fine Detail Brush
Glaze: Guilliman Blue - Wash Brush
Pelt Fur:
Basecoat: Mournfang Brown - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Drybrush: Terminatus Stone - Medium Drybrush
Pelt Flesh:
Basecoat: Ratskin Flesh - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Tuskgor Fur - Standard Brush
Wash: Reikland Fleshshade - Wash Brush
Skaja Greyclaw - Wolf Priest
Black Power Armour:
Basecoat: Abaddon Black - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Eshin Grey - Detail Brush
Layer: Stormvermin Fur - Fine Detail Brush
Wolf Priest Helm:
Basecoat: Rakarth Flesh - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Pallid Wych Flesh - Standard Brush
Layer: White Scar - Fine Detail Brush
Eye Lenses:
As on page 95 of "How To Paint Citadel Miniatures"
Basecoat: Rhinox Hide - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Drybrush: Gorthor Brown - Small Drybrush
Light Brown Hair (as shown on Jorvik):
Basecoat: Steel Legion Drab - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Drybrush: Baneblade Brown - Small Drybrush
Ginger Hair (as shown on Bran):
Basecoat: Mephiston Red - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Troll Slayer Orange - Standard Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Wash: Feugan Orange - Wash Brush
Drybrush: Fire Dragon Bright - Small Drybrush
Grey Hair (as shown on Mikkael):
Basecoat: Skavenblight Dinge - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Drybrush: Stormvermin Fur - Small Drybrush
Wolf Heads (as on Mjordin):
Basecoat: Dryad Bark - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Agrax Earthshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Doombull Brown - Standard Brush
Layer: Tuskgor Fur - Fine Detail Brush
Base Texture:
Sand
Basecoat: Rakarth Flesh - Basecoat Brush
Drybrush: Praxeti White
Scatter: Snow
And for those of you with a penchant for square bases, don't worry... I've got some Warhammer love on the way too!
Now, onto those backstories I spoke of earlier!
T H E S T O R M W O L V E S
Mjordin Stormbreaker
Wolf Lord after Irken Greatspear, brother to Halda who fell to the Helix. Wolf for over 200 years, Wolf Lord for 7. As his wolf companions cannot accompany into combat in a drop pod, Mjordin has taken to riding in his own personal Razorback “Blackwolf” with Skaja Greyclaw, dropped in by Thunderhawk. This has often been the subject of playful mockery, his brothers often jest that he is arriving late, though Mjordin always maintains that he rolls in at just the right time to show his wolves “just how it’s done”.
Skaja Greyclaw
Wolf Priest who chose Mjordin and Halda. Still accompanies Mjordin. Very old (well over 800 winters old). Skaja is one of the more solemn of the Stormwolves, taking his grim duty seriously. He has seen more of his companions die than he cares to recall and this has detached him somewhat from his brothers. He is well respected amongst the Stormwolves who value his pragmatic outlook on battle, none more so than Mjordin, and thus Skaja shares a ride in “Blackwolf”.
Asvald Squallshaper
Young, impetuous Rune Priest. Often gets himself into trouble by overestimating his abilities and underestimating enemy resistance. Has developed a lasting relationship with Mikael Twinfury who has waded through scores of enemy to rescue him on several occasions.
Jorvik Redwinter
Wolf Guard. Furious warrior. Headstrong, usually first to charge. Loved by all the Stormwolves, admired as a warrior despite his young age. Chosen as Wolf Guard for, supposedly, taking down three Chaos Dreadnoughts with his bare hands. Whether or not this is entirely accurate is up for debate, though any who witness Jorvik in combat will attest that it is best not to doubt him.
Bran Firemane
Wolf Guard. Named for his fiery red hair which, curiously, has kept it’s colour despite his age. Bran is unbeaten in drinking or eating contests, earning him the nickname “Stormgut”. Because of the unfortunate biological side effects of this, many of the Stormwolves joke that they would rather gargle engine degreaser than share an airtight drop pod with Bran.
Mikael Twinfury
Wolf Guard. As a Blood Claw, Mikael threw away his bolt pistol causing quite a stir with the Iron Priests. He knocked out an Iron Priest in a single blow and nobody has questioned him about it since. Mikael always ensures that his drop pod lands right in the thick of the fighting, whether or not this is actually a sound strategy for the battle ahead, and has ended up rescuing Asvald Squallshaper on more than one occasion after the Rune Priest got himself into a situation a little “too hot for a blizzard”.
Johann Shadowfang
Leader of the Wolf Scout “Nightclaws” who are often sent down onto a planet to scout out the enemies weaknesses a few hours/days before the main detachment arrives planetside. Johann has a reputation for being exceptionally grim and dour. He does not take to the company of others well and often verges on flat out rude.
Olur Deadeye
There are not many men who could spear a rimetrout as it leapt up a waterfall, and even fewer who could do it blindfolded, even on Fenris. Olur Deadeye is one such man, his years in combat have refined his senses to an extraordinary degree, and having his left eye put out with an exceptionally lucky las-shot has done nothing to his accuracy. Olur now directs the Long Fang unit “Helhammr”, and curiously does not drink any form of alcohol...
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