SKAVEN WATCHTOWER

During a period in Dwarf history known as the Time of Woes, many of their great works were cast down and destroyed. Taking advantage of this catastrophe, the insidious Skaven became a growing menace to the Dwarf nations. They swarmed through the Dwarf realms, the Skaven slaughtering the Dwarfs in horrible, one-sided conflicts. Now the hildren of the !orned "at infest the remnants of these great halls, the Skaven building strange contraptions and broiling-forth from these fetid holes in times of war. This Skaven Watchtower is a perfect addition to your collection of scenery, especially if you#re currently participating in a Deni$ens of the Deep campaign% STAGE 1: The Basic Column

Step 1

ut out a large, circular piece of &asonite. 't can be as large are you like, but ' suggest that it should measure appro(imately )*+ in diameter. Sand down the edges of the &asonite at ,*-degree angles. - belt sander will make this step painless and .uick, but if you don#t have one on hand, a large file and some sandpaper will do the trick.

Step 2

ut three sections of )+ thick insulation foam with a sharp, retractable bo( cutter. These sections should measure /+ wide and appro(imately )0+ tall. 1lue all the foam sections together with a hot glue gun and set the assembled, rough column aside to dry 2it should only take a minute or 3 for a strong bond to form4. Sand down the rough edges of the assembled column with a belt sander 2if you#re lucky enough to have one4 or a sanding block. &ake sure that the bottom of the column is flat and at a right angle to the side of your column so that it doesn#t appear lopsided when glued to the base. Sanding may take as much as )56+ off of the /+ wide foam column.

Step Step !

STAGE 2: C"eatin# the Be$ele% E%#e

Step 1

The beveled edge on this column starts 0+ up the side of the foam. Download this template and print it out. Transfer it to a piece of rigid cardboard and cut it out. 7end the cardboard template e(actly in half. Scoring 2a techni.ue that uses a knife blade to slice a gentle line across a piece of cardboard without actually cutting the cardboard into two separate pieces4 will make the cardboard template much easier to bend. 8lace the cardboard template over the corner of the assembled column with the pointed end facing the base of the column. Trace its outline onto the foam with a felt-tipped pen or a pencil. ontinue the tracing of the template up the entire column and repeat the process on all four sides. STAGE : Cuttin# out the Be$ele% E%#es

Step 2

Step 1

9nce all of the tracing has been finished, start cutting out the beveled edges from the column. Take the retractable bo( cutter again and cut out the beveled points 2near the base of the column4 by following the guide lines. This step will help you avoid slipping and cutting too far in Step 3. Now that the points are done, carve out the beveled edges from the top towards the pointed areas you :ust removed. ut all the way down to the guide lines that you made with the cardboard template. To keep the line straight, make sure to cut inside of the guides rather than outside. 8atience and a steady hand win the day% Don#t cut too .uickly or you may damage the foam. 9nce you have carved out the beveled edges, use a fine piece of sandpaper to smooth out any nicks or rough spots.

Step 2

Step

STAGE !: C"eatin# the Column Base

Note:

-s stated above in The Basic Column, sanding the foam will reduce the

width of the column. Take measurements and keep these in mind when you download the template and follow the steps below.

Step 1

;ou#re going to construct the base of the column out of foamcore so it stands 3+ high against the side of the column. Download this template, print it out, and transfer it to a piece of foamcore by pushing small holes through the printed template and into the foamcore beneath it with a thumbtack. onnect the punctures on the foamcore with a pen or pencil and cut the rectangles free with a sharp <--cto knife. Take two of the four foamcore pieces and put the others aside for now. Take a pencil or pen and measure-in 0 mm on each side of both column base pieces.

Step 2 Step

Step !

Now, very carefully, use an <--cto knife with a brand new blade to cut almost all the way through the foamcore. The best way to accomplish this step is to do the following= A& 1ently cut through the paper side of the foamcore that#s facing toward you. This cut will reveal the foam in the center. B& Ne(t, cut through the foam with light passes to avoid hitting the paper on the backside. 't doesn#t take much pressure to cut the foam. >sing too much will easily cut the paper backing. This process takes a bit of practice. Try this techni.ue on a spare piece of foamcore before you try it for real% C& arefully insert the knife into the previously made cut in the foamcore and pull the flat of the blade away from the mass that you want to keep. 't may re.uire you to work up the length of the foamcore to remove foam as you go.

Step '

The final product should look something like this 2see the center image above4, with a large rectangle of foamcore that has a paper +lip.+

Step (

9nce you have cut both of the side panels for the column base, you can assemble the base. With one side panel in hand, fill both of the cuts with wood glue and press both together. "epeat this process for the other corner of the column. 9nce the sides with the lips are on, glue on the other two panels. ?inally, spread glue on the inside of the base and slide the foam column into the base. lean up any e(tra glue that leaks out. @et the whole column base dry before moving on to the ne(t stage. STAGE ': The Column Base )eco"ation

Step 1

;ou will make the decoration on the base of the column out of foamcore as well. Download this template, print it out, and transfer it to a piece of foamcore by pushing small holes through the printed template and into the foamcore beneath it with a thumbtack. onnect the resulting punctures on the foamcore with a pen or pencil and cut all the shapes free with a sharp <--cto knife. 1lue these shapes to the side of the column base with wood glue as shown in the picture and repeat this process three more times to complete the column. With smooth :oins 2such as the foamcore-to-foamcore bond that you need here4, scoring each side with an <--cto knife allows the glue to grip both surfaces and forms a stronger bond. ;ou can easily do this scoring by dragging the point of the blade across the smooth surface to rough it up.

Step 2 Step

STAGE (: )etailin# the Column To create the look of age, stress, and damage, the column must be broken up a bit. To accomplish this, cut up the assembled column and then reassemble it so a large portion of it lies on the &asonite base. See the steps below for instructions on wrecking things like ' did.

Step 1

Starting on one side of the top of the column, measure down A+ and make a mark on this side. Now, directly opposite of this mark, make another mark, but make it /+down instead of A+. 9nce both marks are on the foam, connect these lines with two more guides on the remaining sides. This line is your guide to gauge the cut you need to make to separate the topmost section from the rest of the piece. Now, measure down 6+ from the top and make another guide. This guide will help you make the slightly diagonal cut where the column has broken but not separated 2i.e., a simple fracture4. ;our cut will separate the sections, but you will glue them back together to get the look of a fracture.

Step 2

Time to start cutting% Take the retractable bo( cutter and cut along the topmost guide and separate this chunk of foam from the rest of the column. ?ollow the guides on the second mark with the bo( cutter and cut the column down again, though the cut should be at a slight diagonal to the guide. Now there are three sections to deal with. ;ou can damage the +top+ section as you see fit. arve off large chunks of foam to get a :agged appearance. -lso, use the point of the knife 2please be careful, wear eye protection%4 to pop and gouge large pieces out of the section#s central mass. 8ut the top section aside for now B it will become part of the base later. 't#s a little trickier to get the remaining two sections to look like they have fractured in a natural fashion. >se the techni.ues above to create a shattered appearance, but each half should resemble the other enough so they look like parts of the same column. Don#t stress out too much, though. The eons could have worn away the similarities a little bit. 1ouge up the corners and edges where these two piece meet :ust like before, but DO NOT detail the flat inside areas of the foam. These areas must be left smooth so that the two sections can be reassembled.

Step

Step ! Step ' Step (

-pply white glue to the flat top of the shattered column. 1lue both sections of the column together. !owever, the sections should be slightly askew so they look like they are on either side of a fracture. 9nce everything has dried completely, ding up the rest of the column with small cracks and gouges by using a sharp <--cto knife 2again, be careful4. STAGE *: )etailin# the Scenic Base

Now is your opportunity to show the detritus that results from ages of abuse and neglect%

Step 1

1lue the base of the column to the &asonite, and you should keep in mind that you will need room for the fallen section of column. >se either wood glue or a hot glue gun to assemble the parts. Now, glue the fallen section to the base in a manner that suits you. With a bit of foam and the bo( cutter, create a few small dunes or rounded +hills.+ 1lue these about the &asonite and up against the column 2trim the dunes so they fit4. With a chunk of e(tra foam in hand, cut off small chunks to create rubble and shards of stone. ;ou can make them of varying si$es. 1lue these chunks down to the base as well. 'f you like, you can add pieces of pine bark to resemble uncarved stone. -lthough this step does not actually have much to do with detailing the base, it is still a good idea fill in any gaps in the foam with .uick-drying spackling at this stage. >se a scrap piece of plasticard to apply the spackling.

Step 2

Step

Step !

The Ric+et, Sca--ol%in# This ne(t group of steps will help you transform your dilapidated Dwarf column into a bit of Skaven scenery. ;ou#ll have to use your best :udgment in this phase of construction B there is no template for the scaffolding, but ' did include measurements when we could. !owever, if you feel lost, look to the color section of Wa"hamme" A"mies: S+a$en 2p. C/4 or the images in this article for inspiration and guidance. STAGE .: Gettin# Sta"te%

Step 1

/0ictu"e% a1o$e le-t2 With an <--cto knife, cut )53+()53+ thick strips of balsa wood into eight pieces at about C+ long each. These planks will form the hori$ontal beams. 8ut them aside for now 2if these beams are not e(act, don#t worry B it only adds to the general broken-down look of the scenery4. /0ictu"e% a1o$e "i#ht2 Now, cut four )53+()53+ thick strips of balsa wood to a length of A /5A+. These four pieces will form the vertical struts at the four corners of the scaffolding. Ne(t, cut thinner pieces of balsa wood, thick cardboard, or plasticard 2you can use one, two, or all three materials B in fact, using all three makes the overall appearance much more hapha$ard%4 to serve as anchors for braces that will be placed inside of the scaffolding and against the column. ?inally, make sure you have more )53+()53+ thick strips of balsa wood on hand to create braces and thinner balsa wood or popsicle sticks to make planking for a walkway, ladders, and other assorted madness. ;ou#re going to need all of these materials. STAGE 3: Assem1lin# the Sca--ol%in#

Step 2 Step

Step !

Step 1

Start with the frame of the scaffolding. reate two +rings+ using the eight pieces of C+ long balsa wood. 9n four of the eight, cut an @-shaped groove into each end. The resulting tab can now be laid on top of one of the uncut pieces of balsa wood. Test the fit for each piece. 9nce you are satisfied, glue all of the pieces together with wood or white glue and set the two rings aside to dry. 9nce everything has dried thoroughly, glue each of the eight A /5A+ pieces at right angles to the two assembled +rings.+ ;ou should put four on the bottom and four in the middle with the top ring on top, :ust like the steel frame on a building. 1lue the entire scaffolding to the &asonite base so it encircles the column. 'f the legs of the scaffolding are uneven or rest on top of any foam dunes or rocks, cut the balsa wood to fit or measure and gouge out s.uares of foam so that the legs can sit on the base.

Step 2

Step

Step !

?inally, add all sorts of random beams and braces to the scaffolding and column 2balsa wood works great for wood braces and card with rivets would make great rusted metal braces4. 'n short, use your best :udgment and imagination. 7elow, you#ll see some e(amples of different types of braces and the two materials ' used.

Step '

Dip string or twine into watered-down wood or white glue and wrap it around a few :oints to create a bundled knot. 8aint on more glue once the string has started to dry to create a rock-hard :oin. reate rivets by slicing up a small plastic rod 2s.uare or circular is up to you4. 1lue these rivets on with superglue so they look as though long metal spikes have been driven into the wood to hold it together. -dd thin pieces of balsa wood or popsicle sticks to create planks and walkways for your models. -lso, assemble ladders from spare balsa wood and glue them in place now.

Step (

Step *

STAGE 14: Buil%in# The Bell The body of the bell was created using the following materials= D ) A0-mm tin bell from a craft store D ) emptied and cleaned yogurt cup D 8lasticard D ) Screaming 7ell !older bit Sc"eamin# Bell Hol%e" 424(4'34

Step 1

To allow the metal bell to lie flat on the bottom of the yogurt cup, you will need to cut out a circular piece of plasticard with a diameter measuring 3+ 2or whatever will fit your yogurt cup4. Trace out the shape on a sheet of plasticard with a pencil and then score a line along this outline with an <--cto knife. Ne(t, cut four lines going out from the edges of the circle. These cuts will allow you to breakout the circle much more easily in the ne(t step. Now, bend the plasticard until the plasticard weakens along the scored lines. The circle will break free. 9nce the circle is free, you may need to clean up the edges with an <--cto knife. 1lue the finished circle to the bottom of the yogurt cup with superglue. @et this dry so it forms a solid bond.

Step 2 Step

Step ! Step ' Step (

Ne(t, glue the small metal bell to the plasticard circle on the upturned cup. -gain, wait for the bond to dry completely. Ne(t, glue another, smaller disk of plasticard 2measuring appro(imately /5A+4 to the top of the metal bell. Then, clip off the lower portion of the Skaven Screaming 7ell bit 2/5)C+ up from the bottom4 and glue it to the plasticard-topped portion of the bell.

Step *

1lue thin strips of plasticard 2about )5A+ thick4 around the circumference of the bell to make bands. To reinforce where the strip meets, glue a short length of plasticard over the gap. 8lastic rod was cut into pieces and glued to the plasticard bands to simulate rivets. &ark where the rivets will be placed with pencil before you glue the rivets onto the bands. Try to keep them as evenly spaced as possible. ut out a Skaven symbol from card and glue it to the side of the bell. -dd spare strips of plasticard and plastic rivets to the bell for added realism. 'n the end, this is your Skaven 7ell. ;ou can make it as intricate as you like B it is the focus of the piece of scenery, after all. STAGE 11: Assem1lin# the Bell A"m

Step .

Step 3

Step 1

ut two thick pieces of balsa wood into two long arms 2both should measure )3+ long, 056+ high, and 05)C+ deep4. With an <--cto knife, cut a >-shaped notch into each of the four arms# ends. Each of these notches should be F5)C+ deep and 05)C+ wide. Now, you need to make two crossbeams to fit into the notches in the arms. -gain, use an <--cto knife and cut two pieces of balsa wood to a height and width of 05)C+ and / )53+.

Step 2

Step

1lue both crossbeams into the >-shaped notches with white glue and allow the whole thing to dry.

Step !

ut out a piece of balsa wood that measures F56+ tall, / F56+ long, and 05)C+ deep. Draw the pattern shown in the pictures above. The areas keyed in red use the following measurements= 1& A5)C+ wide 2& /56+ wide & 056+ wide !& F56+ wide

Step ' Step (

ut out all the shaded areas as marked in Step A. Geyed -rea H3 is the weakest point in the balsa wood, so take care when you cut this part free. 9nce you have cut out both of these parts, you#ll need to give each a small notch in order to hold the actual body of the bell. These notches should each measure about )56+ wide, 356+ tall, and /5)C+ deep.

Step *

&easure in )+ on each of the long beams that form the bell arm. &ake a mark at this point with a pen. These marks indicate where you will glue the two small notched arms 2:ust past the )+ mark4. &easure and cut a thin piece of 05)C+(05)C+ balsa wood to a length of / 05)C+. This beam will help support the weight of the bell. Now, glue the assembled long armsI the small, notched bell support armsI and the cross beam with white glue as shown in the image above.

Step . Step 3

Step 14

Ne(t, cut out a piece of balsa wood that measures ) )5A+ wide, 05)C+ tall, and 6 F5)C+ long. >se a pen to divide the strip of balsa in half lengthwise. Then, with an <--cto knife, cut along that line. With an <--cto knife, cut out the notches as show in the middle image above. The notch on the right is 05)C+ wide and )/5)C+ long on the top side and )*5)C+ on the bottom. ;ou must make an angled cut into the center of the balsa wood. 9n the opposite end of the strip of balsa wood, make a notch as show on the left. ut a ,*-degree angle into the end. The top of this bevel should start in )56+ further than the bottom.

Step 11

Step 12

&ark where the long arm supports will go when everything is assembled. The pen marks should be placed )+ away from the small bell support arms as shown in the photo above.

Step 1

ut a strip of balsa wood that measures 056+ wide by / C56+ long into two smaller pieces that measures ) F56+ long. 1ive both a gouge C56+ down from the top of each small brace. The depth of the gouge is up to you B it needs to be deep or shallow enough to compensate for the bell arm#s width and the placement of the column. 1lue both small braces to the sides of the rock column and add the wood planks with white glue. &ake sure that ,*-degree angles are maintained until the supports dry in place. -llow these to dry thoroughly before moving on to Step )0. Now, with the long braces attached B but not glued into position on the bell arm B glue the bottom +feet+ of the long braces to the first tier with white glue. 8ut something on top of the bell arm to keep it balanced and in position until the glue dries.

Step 1!

Step 1'

NOTE: DO NOT glue the bell arm to the short braces attached to the rock column or to the long braces near the small bell support arms. 'f you do, there will be no way to get the bell in place later as the bell must be painted separately.

Step 1(

Ne(t, make a platform and a ladder for Skaven sentries to stand on while they ring the bell. ut a 05)C+(05)C+ piece of balsa wood into two 3 )53+ long strips and glue them straight out from the long braces about 3+ up. -ttach planks to the platform supports as you did with the rest of the scaffolding. Now, using white glue, glue ladder rungs to the inside of the long braces. 9nce you#re finished, continue to add plastic rod bit$ to the new areas of the watchtower to represent rivets and iron spikes. -lso, nick-up all of the wooden beams with an <--cto knife to make everything appear a bit more dilapidated. STAGE 12: 5inishin# O-- the Scenic Base

Step 1* Step 1.

Step

8aint the entire base with slightly thinned-down wood glue. Sprinkle large stones and sand over the glue and let it dry thoroughly. 9nce the glue has dried, tip the entire piece upside down over a bo( top or bucket and tap the underside of the base. This action will collect any e(tra basing material in the bo( top so you can use it for your ne(t scenery pro:ect. 'f you#re looking to add an e(tra level of detail, add straw nesting material around the base after the entire piece of scenery has been painted. ut bristles from a cheap broom or brush and mi( them in a container with slightly diluted white glue. 8lace this mi(ture on the base and scaffolding in thick clumps and leave it to dry overnight.

Note:

Column6 Sca--ol%in#6 an% Base ?irst, hand-paint the e(posed sections of foam with haos 7lack paint 2this seals it to keep the foam from melting from spray paint4. Then, prime the entire piece with haos 7lack Spray 8rimer. Ruste% 7etal B"aces an% Ri$ets Column6 Roc+s6 an% 0atches o- )e1"is

Drybrush areas of e(posed stone with a heavy layer of Dark ?lesh, followed by ode( 1rey B make sure you allow the Dark ?lesh to show through a bit. @ightly drybrush with ?ortress 1rey. ?inally, drybrush the stone with a very light coat of Skull White. Rust 7a"+s on Stone

Touch-up the areas that will show rusted metal with haos 7lack. Then, heavily drybrush the areas with Dark ?lesh, followed by 7lood "ed and a light drybrushing of ?iery 9range.

Woo%e% Beams6 B"aces6 an% 0lan+s

-pply rust marks to the stone by drybrushing straight down from the source of the rust mark. Drybrush the first layer with Dark ?lesh, followed by 7lood "ed and a final coat of ?iery 9range. Rope

Touch-up wooden areas with haos 7lack if needed. !eavily drybrush these areas with Scorched 7rown followed by Dark ?lesh, 7estial 7rown, and Snakebite @eather. @ightly drybrush Gommando Ghaki to finish the areas. The Bell

"etouch the rope with haos 7lack and then basecoat it with Snakebite @eather. !ighlight with 7leached 7one and you#re done.

8aint the bell with successive layers of metallic paint over a haos 7lack undercoat. Start with Tin 7it$, move on to 7ra$en 7rass, and finish with Dwarf 7ron$e. -pply 1reen and 7rown 'nks to make the bell appear corroded.

5inal Assem1l, 9nce all the paint has dried, seat the bell in the notches and allow it to swing freely 2don#t glue it in%4. 1lue the bell arm in place with white glue on both the long braces and the small ones connected to the rock column.