The Stormcast Eternals are probably the most-hated miniature range thatGames Workshopproduces. The face ofAge of Sigmar, which had plenty of detractors for its own reasons when it launched, was a far cry from the fantasy models of Warhammer Fantasy Battle.
However, things have been slowly improving for Sigmar’s angelic host. The latest iteration of designs has made them look sleeker, and the addition of bare heads has begun to give them some personality in places where once was barren nothingness. What’s more, the addition of units like theProsecutorshas gone a long way to repairing their tarnished reputation. Just look at those wings. That’s what the Sanguinary Guard should have had.
I still believe that, as angels of dead warriors, the Stormcast should include dwarfs and elves among their ranks to give the units more flavour and visual interest.
However, there’s still a little way to go. I prefer the old-school fantasy feel of WHFB, and I’d love to paint my Stormcast up to look like the models of yore. I’m not going to use them inWarhammer: The Old Worldor anything, but I’d just like them to look a bit less Futuristic Fantasy and a bit more Green Knight.
Converting The Stormcast Eternals
I’ve attempted many wild conversions in my time – includingsculpting a dozen eyes on a Dark Mechanicus abomination– but I wanted to keep this one simple. For starters, some readers will be wondering where to start with converting their own miniatures. Secondly, I really like the Reclusian models, and wanted to keep them fairly intact.
The easiest conversion I could think of was a headswap. Chop the head off a miniature (or don’t glue it on in the first place) and replace it with a different one. This can drastically change the character of a model, and it completely revitalises the Stormcast.
I opted for a 3D printed knight’s helmet, but if you have any Bretonnian kits knocking about, they’d work perfectly. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any Knights of the Realm to hand (or at least any that wouldn’t mind being separated from their head to a permanent end), so this would have to do.
you may buy 3D printed heads all cooked and ready to glue, or if you have a 3D printer you can buy files (or create your own) to print at home. I keep meaning to delve into 3D sculpting, but I’ve got enough hobbies on my plate for the moment, so I bought these heads ready-made.
A blob of Green Stuff combined with superglue makes a substance harder than steel, and fixes the heads on perfectly. There’s a tiny bit of wiggle room as the substances react with one another, so ensure you dry fit before applying the solvent to make sure the head looks just how you want it.
After that, well, it’s done.
Painting The Stormcast Eternals
The next step is slapping some colour on these bad boys. Or, in my case, painting them completely grey. The vibrant gold of the Stormcast goes against every one of my grimdark sensibilities, and I just couldn’t bring myself to aim a can of Retributor Armour at these more archaic-feeling conversions.
I started with a Chaos Black primer, then sprayed on some Corax White from above to create a rough zenithal. This would be better with an airbrush, as it comes out of a can slightly speckled, but for the sake of time I took the easiest option. These aren’t going to win a Golden Demon, they’re going to look like statues come to life.
With that in mind, I started on the grey. I kept things very simple, sticking mostly with Contrast paints that would cover well and utilise the zenithal highlight already applied. Basilicanum Grey did the job, which I touched up with drybrushes of various shades of Games Workshop layers paints. Drybrushing gives the model a rough texture, perfect for faux stonework.
After that, I added some moss with Athonian Camoshade paint and pieces of flock, which really sells the effect of these being ancient statues reanimated to fight in Sigmar’s eternal war. The final thing to do was add a vibrant colour to the eyes and runes, otherwise the models would be far too boring. There are far better ways to do object source lighting (OSL) if you’re using an airbrush, but I simply layered on some white around the glowing parts, then slapped on a bright Blood Angels Red.
Some basic colour theory is always useful when painting models. Red is opposite on the colour wheel to the green mossy tones elsewhere on the models, so it should provide some much-needed contrast.
This is a simple conversion with a simple paintjob, but it looks pretty effective if I do say so myself. This three-colour system will get your army tournament legal and tabletop ready in no time, and will look pretty effective from two or three feet away – the usual distance you are from the tabletop. They don’t hold up to much scrutiny, and the high quality photos in this article are already making me wince, but it’s quick and effective. If you’re painting a whole army on a deadline, what more can you ask for?
