My Skaven Army – The Screaming Bell
4ed Skaven armies gave two major new additions to the Skaven army compared to what was there before. The War Machines section was upgraded from just Warpfire Throwers and Jezzails, They now have the Doomwheel and the Screaming Bell. I have a Doomwheel in my army which was painted by a family friend years ago, and I got a second one a while back from a friend at the Oldhammer Forum which I really need to get the time and space to get around to taking it out of the plastic factory wrapping and getting some much needed paint on it (as well as wanting to do one of my own original design) but my old screamming bell was painted by me years ago.. It was not only NOT in the best of shape but I was a REALLY bad painter as a kid.
Okay, I’m not fantastic now but.. before I stripped it down, I got some photos to show just how bad it was:
Yeah.. see? At the time, I wasn’t sure if I should have the figures on the Screaming bell itself, or seperate. I mean, a Grey Seer can be used on or off and at the time, money was pretty limiting for a kid and this wasn’t a cheap set. Of course, it doesn’t look that fantastic and how the hell do you field the Bellringer off the set? (well.. as a double handed weapon but.. nevermind that)
So I decided to strip and repaint as well as I’m working on my new updated force. So I have now finally taken the photos of my Clan Rat unit pulling the Screaming Bell. Techinally the rules say to put the Screaming Bell in the middle front rank as it’s ‘pushed’.. but it also says it’s dragged and I can see the Skaven pulling it. So I put it in the back center.
I also really wanted a standard with this unit and putting it to one side just didn’t look right to me. Anyway.. This was also a unit I had one rule for. All Minis are Metal. My other shown Clan Rat unit is mostly plastic, and I’ll have some mixed units. It’s just I had a rule for this unit. In the end, most of this unit is in fact C47 Skaven figures. Lets meet the gang, cause the boys are here:
There are 22 figures in this unit, the screaming Bell requires a minimum of 10 in the unit, and this is the number which fit on the tray with the Screaming Bell itself. This first four consist of ‘Skewer’ (C47-08), and ‘Carver’ (C47-09) both from the original Jes Goodwin set. They are joined by two Tim Prow RalPatha Europe Ratmen. Offically, the Unit all have shields but some I just didn’t think a shield fit well, or I didn’t just want to strap them on the backs too much. Out of these four, 1 shield is one of my own (I need to print some more which aren’t as thick.. despite measuring, I think they are a bit thick. I also have mixed some old Plastic shields and the odd metal or wood (I have some laser cut wood ones I made up)
Next four have two copies of ‘Kreep’ (C47 93-04), which was part of the second batch of Skaven released. One had the club broken so I replaced it with as spare plastic sword. There is then my second Carver (this one has a bit more bend to the sword Angle) and ‘Radbyte’ (C47 93-17), who like the first two, is from the second released batch. I think Kreep is kinda a Slave model. Not that is really matters but the clothing, the collar and the fact of a club (slaves appear to more have clubs in the minis that Jes Goodwin did) more hint at this. Which is funny cause my almost complete Slave unit (I planned to have 2) are all doublehanded weapons ^_^).
here is my Third Carver. Now. for some reason, I have a dislike of the figure ‘Glave’. I mean, he isn’t a bad figure by any degree, but having more then the odd one or two in a unit just… rubs me the wrong way.. I think he is too ungeneric for a generic. odd really.. anyway, butt Carver… well, he also stands out with his spikes but I have far less of a problem with. weird. Well, you can’t really see his spikes here but he does have them. Next up is a second copy of that one Tim Prow Ratman, followed by ‘Goar Headwrecker’ (C47-17) and ‘Skree the Slaver’ (C47-07). Now.. I’m not 100% sure what kinda figure Skree is meant to be. by the name ‘Slaver’, he appears to be someone to go out and catch new slaves. He has a slave like Club but also a net (hard to see in this image), and I really love the Spike eyepatch. Really, I think he must come under being a Clanrat.. not that it matters.
A bit of a dull mix here, as there are only 2 figure types. ‘Slash’ (C47 93-18) is there twice, who might be a stormvermin more due to his heaver armour, and ‘Chytter’ (C47 93-11) who is also there twice and appears to be a slave due to the clothing and collar. You can also see the third one there is missing his shield as it had fallen off (I found it afterwards and annoyingly, it’s the same design as his model mate but in different colours.
This four is the final set of 4, we have ‘Servyle’ (C47 93-08), who is another Slave figure. I don’t give my Slaves shields. There job is to die as fodder. why waste a good shield on them?. Next is my only non-ratman in the unit, Kev Adams Chaos Goblin, with a rat-like mutation. A bit heaver armour then most but fits in very well. I gave him a metal shield and I think talked about him a while back. Then the second copy of ‘Skewer’ and the second copy of ‘Radbyte’.
Then the final two Rats in this unit, My standard is a converted Oakbound Gnawlock with a scatch build banner with a plastic Skaven banner topper, and ‘The Butcher’ (C47 CG-12). Quite a late release as part of the Command group sub-set. This is really one of two Skaven models which I think show the Chaos Ratman side, with his Tail mutation. the other being Thrott, the unclean, with his third arm. The dollie for this figure was used for 3 other Champions. Flench Packlord (who was released in the original 19), Razortail & Warpeye. Of the four, I’m only missing Warpeye. I decided that either he had a Warpstone Hook, or he was pretending for the prestige he thinks it gives him. No sure why but I don’t appear to have named him yet.. Normally I do prefer to name my Champions and leaders (though really, the Champion is often the leader).
And the repaint of the Screaming Bell itself. I had a few issues with it and the bell itself didn’t come out that amazingly well.. after I striped it down, I painted it up, didn’t like it, re-striped and tried again. turned out better but I wasn’t 100% but decided not waste anymore time. the Grey Seer and Bellringer are both glued to the base this time. The Seer was later reissued on his own, and I do have a copy of that later release so I can easily paint it up to be him on his own if I wanted to.
of course, it’s not easy to get a decent shot of the bell ringer now he is attached but oh well. also something didn’t quite go right when I was putting it back together and there is a slight.. wobble. but nothing major or anything to be bothered with. Probebly a small bend in the metal.
And that is now the Screaming Bell and it’s unit of clan rats all done. Lets check the updated Running Total. The Clanrats take up 138 points (with the double price for Champion and Standard), the screaming bell is 200 points, which includes the striker and the Grey Seer is an extra 340 points. making this whole unit a pricey 678 pts which almost doubles my current total. Mm.. with the 4th selection percentages (up to 50% characters, minimum of 25% regiments, up to 25% war machines, up to 25% monsters, and up to 25% allies) I think this is a decent sized playable force.
Running Total:
Characters: 773pts
War Machines: 200pts
Monsters: 0pts
Regiments: 504pts
Total Army Points painted up: 1,477pts
