Rivetbull
Vassal
Delighted to have entertained. šš»
Building a Daemonic Legion of Slaanesh
- Thread starter Rivetbull
- Start date
Rivetbull
Vassal
Now Iāll start introducing the lords of the Legion. A quartet of Keepers of Secrets make up the command group of my Slaaneshi Legion so far.
The original Citadel Keeper of Secrets model was, and remains, a pretty complex model to assemble and has given more than a few hobbyists fits over the ages. The trick is to plan in advance and start from the ground up, and don't be shy about green stuff filling the inevitable gaps on the back and in the armpits. The model Games Workshop released to go with Slaves to Darkness publication had a fair number of parts to allow for some differentiation in greater daemon models. As you can see from this old catalog page, there were half a dozen different heads and then a couple poses each of the legs and various arms.
I have always found a couple of the heads quite off-putting and out of theme. Namely the skulls, they just feel out of place. Also, there is the head with the eye-patch. the idea that the daemon cannot fix or otherwise replace a missing eye just seems laughable to me. Plus, it looks like he wants to be part of 'talk-like-a-pirate-day". No worries though, as there are still three other heads I love. There are essentially two complete sets of parts besides the heads. When I started resurrecting this project back in 2020, two felt like enough and I simply hunted down the parts and split the available posing options between two Keepers of Secrets. The first pic is the result of that effort.
I gave the green one some maces on chains as his weapons, and his pink hued comrade bears a legendary Rod of Command. Fashioned from the bones of a fallen Bloodthirster, one is presented to each daemonic Legionās Commander by the hand of Slaanesh, 'Themself'. My Rod of Command was made from the 1980s Daemonette Chaos Familiar and a Mantic plastic imp as the other end.
I was happy with these two models in 2020, but later I felt they weren't quite 'fabulous' enough, a make-over was called for...
The original Citadel Keeper of Secrets model was, and remains, a pretty complex model to assemble and has given more than a few hobbyists fits over the ages. The trick is to plan in advance and start from the ground up, and don't be shy about green stuff filling the inevitable gaps on the back and in the armpits. The model Games Workshop released to go with Slaves to Darkness publication had a fair number of parts to allow for some differentiation in greater daemon models. As you can see from this old catalog page, there were half a dozen different heads and then a couple poses each of the legs and various arms.
I have always found a couple of the heads quite off-putting and out of theme. Namely the skulls, they just feel out of place. Also, there is the head with the eye-patch. the idea that the daemon cannot fix or otherwise replace a missing eye just seems laughable to me. Plus, it looks like he wants to be part of 'talk-like-a-pirate-day". No worries though, as there are still three other heads I love. There are essentially two complete sets of parts besides the heads. When I started resurrecting this project back in 2020, two felt like enough and I simply hunted down the parts and split the available posing options between two Keepers of Secrets. The first pic is the result of that effort.
I gave the green one some maces on chains as his weapons, and his pink hued comrade bears a legendary Rod of Command. Fashioned from the bones of a fallen Bloodthirster, one is presented to each daemonic Legionās Commander by the hand of Slaanesh, 'Themself'. My Rod of Command was made from the 1980s Daemonette Chaos Familiar and a Mantic plastic imp as the other end.
I was happy with these two models in 2020, but later I felt they weren't quite 'fabulous' enough, a make-over was called for...
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MichaelStockin
Lord
Agreed, I managed to get a KoS without the head, but have been unable to start it as finding a 'proper' head has been elusive.
MichaelStockin
Lord
ooooh what ya got?
Rivetbull
Vassal
I have a couple extra of the green guyās head.
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Rivetbull
Vassal
Oddly neither set of Citadel produced Keeper upper arms have matching claws. There are, in fact, three different sorts of claws. In order to get different upper arms for each Keeper, some heavy conversion work was required. You can see where this was going...more surgery. Flexfondle the Rampant (the pink Keeper), got a matching armored claw, and both were repainted with yellow and purple claws. His pose on the base also required his legs to be tweaked slightly, as that version of the Keeper model's legs makes the model lean back in such a way that looks 'ok' from the front, but is clearly about to fall over if viewed from any other angle. Lastly, his boots were also repainted yellow. Now he looks his part as the Legion's mighty avenging General.
My second Keeper is the Legion's Enforcer and Champion, Slakespasm, "the Despoiler". He has also had a claw replaced with a twin of his original making his pose decidedly one where he is challenging a foe. I also chopped up two Slaaneshi beastmen and two Champions for their snazzy Slaanesh-symbol mace-heads. These now form the flail ends of his chains. A full year later I got a hold off a good stl for those mace heads, and I have used it gratuitously since. But, these mace heads are genuine old lead.
I also made some base inserts for them, so they can play in any version of Warhammer. The modern 120mm bases produce a ton of dead space. To solve this, I turned them into mini dioramas. One is full of tortured elven spirits, the other is a coven of cultists eager to debase themselves with their godās frontman.
My second Keeper is the Legion's Enforcer and Champion, Slakespasm, "the Despoiler". He has also had a claw replaced with a twin of his original making his pose decidedly one where he is challenging a foe. I also chopped up two Slaaneshi beastmen and two Champions for their snazzy Slaanesh-symbol mace-heads. These now form the flail ends of his chains. A full year later I got a hold off a good stl for those mace heads, and I have used it gratuitously since. But, these mace heads are genuine old lead.
I also made some base inserts for them, so they can play in any version of Warhammer. The modern 120mm bases produce a ton of dead space. To solve this, I turned them into mini dioramas. One is full of tortured elven spirits, the other is a coven of cultists eager to debase themselves with their godās frontman.
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Rivetbull
Vassal
The Legion's third Keeper of Secrets is entirely new. Meet Nibblequake, "the Defiler", who serves as the Legion's Battle Standard Bearer. He has undergone extensive conversions. The bannerpole was made from a pair of plastic standards and its topper from the 'modern' daemonette plastic kit. The banner itself is John Blanche's iconic depiction of the Dark Prince, āthemselfā. I mean, what else could go on the banner of Their legion? In addition, both his lower arms had to be recut and reposed to allow him to hold the banner upright and to brandish his whip, taken from the same Bloodthirster model who gave up the wings for my purple daemon prince. Then his upper claw was cut and replaced with a matching claw. Once again his legs had to adjusted to make him stand upright and not lean back, just like the first Keeper, Flexfondle. Lastly, his head had to rest on top of his neck joint rather than set into it. This was needed because otherwise he would be peaking out from behind the banner.
While this project was undertaken out of love for the GW's original vision of Slaanesh in Warhammer, I always aim to make use of my models in as many systems as possible. Therefore, I am basing my models on circle bases appropriate for Warhammer 40,000 Rogue trader. These circular bases fit into square inserts that let these same models function properly in the older editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. I made all these base inserts to make sure that today's Warhammer players can also experience the real Slaanesh as the Lord of Pleasure, rather than the marketing friendly 'god of excess' they push today. Slaanesh was originally conceived as the chaos god of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll", not an impotent chained-up god of "perfection and obsession" as he is depicted today.
While this project was undertaken out of love for the GW's original vision of Slaanesh in Warhammer, I always aim to make use of my models in as many systems as possible. Therefore, I am basing my models on circle bases appropriate for Warhammer 40,000 Rogue trader. These circular bases fit into square inserts that let these same models function properly in the older editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. I made all these base inserts to make sure that today's Warhammer players can also experience the real Slaanesh as the Lord of Pleasure, rather than the marketing friendly 'god of excess' they push today. Slaanesh was originally conceived as the chaos god of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll", not an impotent chained-up god of "perfection and obsession" as he is depicted today.
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Rivetbull
Vassal
In May 2023, Satyr Art Studios offered an alternate sculpt of a Keeper of Secrets based on Tony Acklandās art. Only 200 of these were cast. Clearly, this was the hand of Slaanesh āthemselfā providing me with a superb fourth Keeper of Secrets model, which was different from the other three already in the Legion. Page 176 of Realm of Chaos Slaves to Darkness, gives a chart to determine the number of greater daemons in a daemonic legion battle, five being the most that one can roll. It also puts a hard limit on greater daemons as being equal to the godās sacred number. This, of course, means six is for Slaanesh.
The Satyr Art Studioās Keeper of Secrets is very different than the Citadel Miniatures sculpt not only in proportions, but also in texture. The strange proportions and pose (based on Ackland's art) cause the daemon to be leaning forward and down to its left if it were to be based as it was cast. Instead, I decided to convert him slightly by placing him on a stepped 40mm base. This made his pose much more upright. I then gave him a nasty looking club and a buckler shield. I got the buckler from a lesser Daemon of Law (it was a shield on one of Sigmarās Stormcast Eternals). Last, I added a streamer of bejeweled hair, which came from some Elf or Eldar kit, I think. Because the hide of this model is covered in bumps, crevices, and short fur, I primed it in off-white and used a contrast yellow paint for the bulk of the model. Having painted the daemon yellow I avoided further use of the color when painting his items and boots, mostly leaning on pinks to tie the model together. For the eyes, I tried to give them an unsettling evil jaundiced look. Then I painted his club as a chunk of warpstone strapped on a stout log. I would assume those he ātapsā with it enjoy wondrous new mutations.
The Satyr Art Studioās Keeper of Secrets is very different than the Citadel Miniatures sculpt not only in proportions, but also in texture. The strange proportions and pose (based on Ackland's art) cause the daemon to be leaning forward and down to its left if it were to be based as it was cast. Instead, I decided to convert him slightly by placing him on a stepped 40mm base. This made his pose much more upright. I then gave him a nasty looking club and a buckler shield. I got the buckler from a lesser Daemon of Law (it was a shield on one of Sigmarās Stormcast Eternals). Last, I added a streamer of bejeweled hair, which came from some Elf or Eldar kit, I think. Because the hide of this model is covered in bumps, crevices, and short fur, I primed it in off-white and used a contrast yellow paint for the bulk of the model. Having painted the daemon yellow I avoided further use of the color when painting his items and boots, mostly leaning on pinks to tie the model together. For the eyes, I tried to give them an unsettling evil jaundiced look. Then I painted his club as a chunk of warpstone strapped on a stout log. I would assume those he ātapsā with it enjoy wondrous new mutations.
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Rivetbull
Vassal
So, at this point, I have four Keepers of Secrets. According to Slaves to Darkness, the most greater daemons that a legion battle will randomly generate is five. That same tome indicates that Slaanesh itself can only manifest six in one place at one time. Therefore, I clearly need at least one , maybe two more Keepers to ācompleteā the legion.
I have an idea for a conversion that would give a keeper four of the crab claws rather than just two. Not sure yet, if thatās a route I want to go down. There is also an unreleased Keeper model, which was seen in Slaves to Darkness (pg 158), and is also shown on āStuff of Legendsā. I would pay handsomely to acquire such a treasure.
I have an idea for a conversion that would give a keeper four of the crab claws rather than just two. Not sure yet, if thatās a route I want to go down. There is also an unreleased Keeper model, which was seen in Slaves to Darkness (pg 158), and is also shown on āStuff of Legendsā. I would pay handsomely to acquire such a treasure.
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chrisgoodone
Lord
Cor, I'm loving this. I NEED a keeper of secrets <shuffles off to ebay>
twisted moon
Moderator
good work.
Rivetbull
Vassal
Fiends of Slaanesh are a strange unit in a daemonic legion. They are cheap compared to the Daemonettes, and faster than them as well. They make great cannon fodder with just enough punch to keep trash units at bay. Then their is the musk. Every once in a while a model that should totally outclass them just stops and picks its nose. It even comes over to your fiends and bends over. They are also one of the oddest looking units in the game.
The 1988 Fiends of Slaanesh are some of the most problematic models to assemble Games Workshop ever produced. The sculptor made well defined indentations for the leg bits to slot into parallel with the Fiend's body. Unfortunately, these grooves are in the wrong places, and if you were to assemble as indicated, the orientation of the legs makes our Fiends look like dead spiders, if they can stand up at all. I think that perhaps Games Workshop intended the hobbyist to bend the Fiends legs outward so the grooves would be serviceable and the feet still oriented down. Honestly though, while this is possible, it is an incredibly difficult thing to pull off without tearing up the detail on the legs themselves. So, how does one build the Fiends without damaging them or making them look demented.
Well, dear reader, here is the secret...I ignore the grooves in the body for the legs almost entirely. I clip off the tabs from the feet. Then I simply glue the legs into place, more or less above the groove, allowing the feet to orient down correctly. I then fill the resulting gap with chunks from the slotta-tabs I removed from the feet. This creates enough āmeatā for the legs to be stable, and is essentially invisible from outside or above the model.
The 1988 Fiends of Slaanesh are some of the most problematic models to assemble Games Workshop ever produced. The sculptor made well defined indentations for the leg bits to slot into parallel with the Fiend's body. Unfortunately, these grooves are in the wrong places, and if you were to assemble as indicated, the orientation of the legs makes our Fiends look like dead spiders, if they can stand up at all. I think that perhaps Games Workshop intended the hobbyist to bend the Fiends legs outward so the grooves would be serviceable and the feet still oriented down. Honestly though, while this is possible, it is an incredibly difficult thing to pull off without tearing up the detail on the legs themselves. So, how does one build the Fiends without damaging them or making them look demented.
Well, dear reader, here is the secret...I ignore the grooves in the body for the legs almost entirely. I clip off the tabs from the feet. Then I simply glue the legs into place, more or less above the groove, allowing the feet to orient down correctly. I then fill the resulting gap with chunks from the slotta-tabs I removed from the feet. This creates enough āmeatā for the legs to be stable, and is essentially invisible from outside or above the model.
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Basementboy
Serf
This project is quite the inspiration, the clever basing especially! Love all of your greater demons, and the fiends are beautiful as well- suitably eye-watering colours for an Oldhammer army!
Rivetbull
Vassal
So this next set of models are the pride of my collection. The mounted daemonettes, even as conversions, were a significant undertaking. The steeds are relatively rare and expensive, and the riders, wellā¦ Daemonettes riding mounts of Slaanesh are depicted in art throughout Realm of Chaos Slaves to Darkness, but only one cast model appears in the book. On page 147, a single model is shown alongside a chaos knight, both riding Mounts of Slaanesh. Then on page 158, on the very left edge of the Daemonic Legion battle taking place, duplicates of this model can (barely) be seen formed as a unit of six. This figure was never actually released for sale, despite its appearance in Slaves to Darkness. Because of the rarity of the models, I kept the requirements for the cavalry quite modest in my daemonic legion, but even so, finding a dozen steeds of Slaanesh alone was a lot. Finding a dozen riders was simply impossible. Despite a multi-year search, in the end I acquired only two rider torsos, one I had never seen pictured before, and one set of legs+tail. A creative solution was called for.
Several of the riders, I just converted from basic daemonette infantry figs. At least it was easy to cut and bend lead cast models with thin limbs. However, only a few of the daemonette infantry poses are conducive to being converted. It is the location of the daemonette's tail that determines suitability. In order to avoid four or five repeats of the same couple possible conversions, I turned to the dark arts of 3d printing and scanning. First, gentle reader, let me assuage your fears, I did NOT recast the unreleased figures. What I did do was scan the legs+tail piece, and 3d printed copies of them in resin. The quality of the scans is not at a point where casting the model would even have been viable, let alone ethical. The detail is simply not at a level where it could be seriously entertained. But, a workaround was possible...
I was already chopping up daemonette models to convert into riders. The problem was the limited range of poses this method could generate. They all tend to look like they are 'standing' in the saddle, which is problematic when there is no saddle. What I attempted, and I think has succeeded, was to use the scan of the seated legs+tail as a base ādollyā for a conversion. I clipped off the scanās legs and tail just beyond the roots. This left me with a groin and tail stump. To this stump I attached the legs and tails of common lead-cast daemonettes. Then I attached a torso taken from a daemonette. The end result is a daemonette rider conversion that is about 90% original lead, but the variety of poses was significantly increased, and they are cleanly seated on their Mounts of Slaanesh.
Several of the riders, I just converted from basic daemonette infantry figs. At least it was easy to cut and bend lead cast models with thin limbs. However, only a few of the daemonette infantry poses are conducive to being converted. It is the location of the daemonette's tail that determines suitability. In order to avoid four or five repeats of the same couple possible conversions, I turned to the dark arts of 3d printing and scanning. First, gentle reader, let me assuage your fears, I did NOT recast the unreleased figures. What I did do was scan the legs+tail piece, and 3d printed copies of them in resin. The quality of the scans is not at a point where casting the model would even have been viable, let alone ethical. The detail is simply not at a level where it could be seriously entertained. But, a workaround was possible...
I was already chopping up daemonette models to convert into riders. The problem was the limited range of poses this method could generate. They all tend to look like they are 'standing' in the saddle, which is problematic when there is no saddle. What I attempted, and I think has succeeded, was to use the scan of the seated legs+tail as a base ādollyā for a conversion. I clipped off the scanās legs and tail just beyond the roots. This left me with a groin and tail stump. To this stump I attached the legs and tails of common lead-cast daemonettes. Then I attached a torso taken from a daemonette. The end result is a daemonette rider conversion that is about 90% original lead, but the variety of poses was significantly increased, and they are cleanly seated on their Mounts of Slaanesh.
