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Painting Aryiki Cult Slingers
The Aryiki Cult has taken increasing command of the Aryidannan tribes on
Tautha. More and more young maidens have been taken by Priestesses into the Cult's Temples
and indoctrinated in the Cult as Acolytes. Many of these girls have been formed into
bodyguard Units for Priestesses who accompany the armies against the Banshee.
The youngest maidens and the least experienced but most eager are formed into
Slinger Units, with a difference. Their faces are hidden behind the cold bronze
of a hoplite helmet, yet their bodies are still naked to the blade. The
tribe's leaders see the helmets as a waste and pointless, better used to equip real
Hoplites. The girls wear their uniform proudly to the point of arrogance, constantly
spouting Cult rhetoric and what the would do to the Banshee if they got the chance.
As Eiya builds up her forces to attack, that chance is soon coming.
What follows is a step-by-step painting guide of six Shadowforge Temple Guard
Slingers as Aryiki Cult Acolyte Slingers.
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Damsel
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M
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A
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D
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H
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Notes
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P
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Base
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Fig
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Aryiki Cult
Slingers
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5
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2/2
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2
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2
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F, S, Sling 12"
Must be the first Unit to take
Lead Shot if the Army buys it.
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8
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8 x 3
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2
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Dannan Armies can replace their ordinary Slingers with Cult Slingers on a 1-1 basis.
Ordinary Slingers can't be in the Unit.
Artemae Armies can replace the compulsory Dannan Hoplites with Cult Slingers instead
on a 1-1 basis. The Priestess must be a part of this Unit.
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Step 1: The models were cleaned of flash and then undercoated with
Bronze Flesh. As most of the figure is skin the undercoat isn't too dark or light
for the flesh tones.
The poses for the Slingers, each one a stage of the slinging process, are very animated.
The models required no assembly.
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Step 2: Paint the flesh tones, including shading and highlights.
Elf Flesh was used as the normal flesh colour, a nice light tone. Highlights
were done with a watered 'milky' white on raised areas such as the tops of breasts,
shouldes and thigh.
Shadows were Leprous Brown and done at the creases and to shadow clothing.
Leprous Brown and then Dwarf flesh were used to colour the nipples.
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Step 3: Yellow is the primary colour of the Aryiki Cult. Therefore
the crest of the Hoplite helmets just had to be yellow. Sunburst yellow was the
base with stripes of the lighter Bad Moon Yellow to act as highlights.
The helmets were painted with a simple coat of Bronze.
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Step 4: Painting the sling and shot was next. The sling was painted
with Bestial Brown with some Snakebite Leather highlights running
along the edges. The shot was chainmail; the Cult thinks its maidens are so elite
that they get the best equipment ahead of the professional damsels.
The pouch for the shot used Snakebite Leather. Even now the models look well
progressed (all that skin done first!).
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Step 5: All Aryidannan damsels are fiery redheads. Only three of the models
have hair, the rest keeping it sensibly tucked up in the helmet or wear it short.
Fiery Orange was used to highlight over Blazing Orange, just like the crest.
The maiden's hair have a small ornament: a skull in a tie. The skull was painted Bleached
Bone. All the hair ties are red, a standard in the Aryidannan tribe that the Cult
hasn't gone against.
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Step 6: The Slingers wear a small skirt of Ultamarine Blue and thin lines of
Lightning Blue on the crests of the waves for additional effect.
Snakebite Leather was used to paint the thick belt encircling the girl's waist. I
decided against a darker colour or more detail to make the skirt stand out more and
to blend in with the flesh tone. This should keep attention on the long legs.
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Completed: The Slingers are fortunte to be given a short stabbing
sword for close combat. Ordinary Slingers only have their sling and tend to run away
if the enemy gets too close. The handle was painted with Bleached Bone, the strap
Bestial Brown and the blade Codex Grey with Chainmail dry brushing for the shiny look.
The final step is to paint the base of the model. As with all the models I use for
Aryiki the bases are simple, just coat of paint on top and a different one around
the base's rim.
Now the six Cult Slingers are done and ready for battle! Fanatical, they will fight
to the death for their Goddess, but the real question is will they be any good?
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