Warhammer fantasy units/graphics preview/development thread

[aaglo]

Hello,
since the Yoda Power's "chaos dwarfs & hobgoblins"-request thread has gotten a bit off topic lately (and since some people also suggested that a completely new thread should be created) - and here it is.

I'm not sure how many units will be forthcoming to the warhammer fantasy mod, but this could be one kind of showcase of what's to come. And nobody is denying the use of these units in other mods, altough due to the nature of warhammer fantasy, these units presented here will be (propably) useful only in various fantasy mods. But perhaps not all of them

So, all creators who find inspiration on doing some graphics stuff related to the warhammer fantasy, you are most welcome to join in this thread and use this thread as a showcase on what you are up to

I'll start with a couple of undead halberdiers; one for the tomb kings and one for the vampire_counts/generic.
Some people (who have seen some of my previous work) may notice some similarities with my recent works.

The halberdier for the tomb kings looks very much like the tomb guard done previously. The only real differences to that model (currently) are:
- different weapon (duh!)
- different shield
- different colouring in the helmet
Since there are no WH-models for tomb king halberdiers (or are there?), this is just a work of my imagination.

The halberdier for the vampire counts is based on the grave guard done previously. The differences are pretty much the same as mentioned above, altough there are more changes in this... maybe I should change the helmet on this guy completely?

So, suggestions are most welcome

 

[Yoda Power]

Looks very nice, I agree that you should change the helmet, not sure how, but you'll figure something out

 

[aaglo]

Or perhaps I should remove the helmet completely, like in these pictures

 

[Yoda Power]

Hmm.. Yeah do that, or go for some more normal helmet maybe?

 

[Smoking mirror]

looks cool.
Though undead warriors for the vampire counts can come from any era (large recruitment base) I think something in the flavor of the 15th or 16th century would be good (Pole arms were used mostly just before the invention of gunpowder, when fullplate armour had reached its prime and a range of effective can openers were needed).
How about a spanish conquistadore type helmet? In the real world these and thier acompanying armour and equipment were reproduced all over europe especialy when using pikes or polearms. Having said that, perhaps more of a fantasy armour would look better, a bit eastern european.

In the end its up to you, but I think that having a number of missmatched types of armour and weapons would give a ragged undead horde look to the army.

 

[aaglo]

I like the spanish conquistador-type helmet -idea. Here's a sample attached.
There seems to be but one problem with that - the unit does not look very undead (propably it's so because of all that armouring... and the same 'issue' is with the grave guard I guess)... well, the idea is that I know it's undead

 

[mrtn]

They look good, but polearms are actually two handed weapons.

Edit: crossposted with aaglo, that "t-shirt" doesn't look very undead in my opinion.

 

[aaglo]

mrtn, these are not polearms. these are halberds... . . . I'm confident on making these 1-handed weapons, since as you can see the pic taken from the warhammer-site, the halberdiers indeed wield those halberds with one hand - I don't suspect they throw away their shields in the midst of the battle, do they? Well of course they can, they are mindless undead, but that's not the point.
Also because these are undead guys, they don't really care how they use those weapons, because they are incredibly strong.

 

[mrtn]

You're just afraid to make two handed weapons! You yellow bastard! Come back, and I'll bite your leg off!

 

[Mr. Do]

Generally halberds are two-handed weapons when wielded in battle, but they can still use their shields to defend from missile fire. At least, that's how it works in the WH world

I think the halberdier definitely needs some work done to make it more dead-looking. A visible skull or bony arms, something like that. And I can't really think of how all these dead units will even go into the WH mod...

 

[Gomurr]

Originally posted by Mr. Do:
And I can't really think of how all these dead units will even go into the WH mod...

There are three undead civs in the Warhammer mod - Sylvania, Lahmia, and Khemri. All are in serious need of undead units, since prior to this Kinboat's undead warrior was the only skeleton unit in it. All of the units aaglo's been creating are sorely needed for those civs.

And as for these pikemen in particular, they're needed as upgrades to the undead spearmen. After all, if the living civs merit pikemen units to upgrade to, then why not the dead?

 

[Gomurr]

About the Sylvanian Pikeman:
- definately loose the helmet. Hell, maybe even loose the body armor. Let's see dem bones.
- at the very least, loose the conquistador helmet. Sylvania is in a german/slavic area, and the undead soldiers there would be of a german/slavic origin. Their armor would reflect this, and a conquistador helmet doesn't mesh well with that origin.
- if you keep the armor, I suggest, as always, that you give it some wear and tear. Rust it over, put some gaping holes in it, maybe make a shoulder pad missing, tear up the sleeves and chain-mail so they look tattered, etc... And maybe make the armor darker, the Vampire armies always seem to have black armor.

About the Nehekharan Pikeman:
- Maybe loose the helmet in exchange for the headband worn by the earlier Tomb King units? Might want to keep the full helmet reserved for the Tomb Guards. I dunno, just a though.
- The shield looks kind of odd. I'd suggest/request you make it civ-colored again, and make the metal on it a bronze/gold, rather than silvery (egytpian-based civs, like the Tomb Kings, never would've used iron and steel). Perhaps shape it like the ones shown in the Tomb King armies pictures?

Otherwise, they're both looking great!

One other thing, though. I agree that Halberds really really really really really really really should be wielded with two hands. If the shields are an issue, get rid of the shields. I know you have thus-far been adamantly against two-handed animations, but you did fine with the Blunderbuss, how much worse could this be? Just have him hold the pike steady with two hands, and poke at foes. Hell, he could even only use one hand to push the pike, and the other to simple direct it, like a pool cue. Anyways, I'd like to see them as two handed weapons, but if it's too hard for you, and you're not up to the challenge , or if it's just too much work, then that's that. Hopefully we'll be seeing some two-handed pike-wielding - if not, oh well, the units are still looking great, and your work is always appreciated.

 

[Mr. Do]

There are three undead civs in the Warhammer mod - Sylvania, Lahmia, and Khemri. All are in serious need of undead units, since prior to this Kinboat's undead warrior was the only skeleton unit in it. All of the units aaglo's been creating are sorely needed for those civs.

And as for these pikemen in particular, they're needed as upgrades to the undead spearmen. After all, if the living civs merit pikemen units to upgrade to, then why not the dead?

Well, the way the mod is currently structured, the undead civs wouldn't get to build skeleton spearman early on in the game, but rather after Black Arts, way into the third age. Thus finding a way of including both a spearman unit (low defense) and a halberdier (High defence) seems a bit difficult to me. About all I can think of would be to have the skeleton spearman available without iron and the halberdier available with iron. In which case, the skeleton spearman will probably never get built...

 

[Drift]

I vote for no helmet for the Sylvanian halberdier. I also have no problem with the halberdier being wielded with just one hand, but it's up to you.

Both look excellent.

 

[Gomurr]

Originally posted by Mr. Do
About all I can think of would be to have the skeleton spearman available without iron and the halberdier available with iron. In which case, the skeleton spearman will probably never get built...

You have a point, Mr. Do, but it hinges on the mod remaining the way it is currently structured. I don't know what ED is planning, or whether his patch will include both units or not , but I will be editing my version of his mod to move up how early the undead civs can create undead units. I mean, Nehekhara died out well before the Warhammer World was structured as the civs are at the start of the mod. So as far as I'm concerned, undead units should be the only units a long-time undead civ like Khemri should have. As such, when aaglo's unit line for the Tomb Kings is completed (or when he gets bored with the undead, if he doesn't finish) I'll edit my game to replace their units with the undead ones.

Having never played as Khemri or Sylvania, I'm not entirely certain how important the Undead State government is. If it gives the undead civs too much of a benefit, I'll leave it where it is. If it's not that consequential, then I'll set up Khemri to start as an Undead realm.

 

[Goldflash]

He doesn't look undead at all... actually....

 

[aaglo]

Ookaaayyy...
Since you won't settle for the 1-handed halberdier, I'll try to make them two-handed. If I can't make them work... well, that'll be the end of these models then

updated looks

 

[Smoking mirror]

Oh well, He'd look good as a zombie spearman.

It's not that difficult to use a two handed weapon with a shield (if its slung off a strap on the forearm, rather than a handle) but agree it could be complicated to animate.

I think a haliberdier would be good on defence, but also fair on attack. It wouldn't have to be just a deffensive upgrade to the spearman, it could be a reasonable ballanced unit. In that case it could be quite an early unit.

Sylvania is in a german/slavic area

If it is quite early, how about giving them a slightly savage look, a bit like kinboats germanic spearman, maybe with a wolf pelt hanging over his shoulder, or a wolf head helmet? you could use less armour then too.

Failing that i think a armour chest plate and naked legs would help show off his skeletal features.

EDIT; oops, posted jsut after agglo. They look just fine.

 

[mrtn]

These look better.
Oh, btw, I'm sure both both Gomurr and I would rather take these with one handed halberds and shields, than none at all. We're just saying what we think would fit, if you don't agree, just ignore us.
You're the creator after all, we're just the squeaky brats underfoot...

 

[Gomurr]

I completely second mrtn's post, especially the squeaky brats under foot part.