The Beast-skewer Killbow is a cruel ballista with one purpose - slaying the largest of beasts with brutal efficiency. Manned by Kruleboyz hand-picked for their proficiency with ranged weapons, the killbow can topple even the sturdiest of Monsters. On the battlefield, a Beast-skewer Killbow crew will pick out the biggest target they can find and bring it down with a barrage of savage, ramshackle bolts. The orruk marksman wears a gutplate depicting Kragnos with one eye closed, as if aiming himself, whilst harried grots bully each other in between reloading.
Miniature Review
What makes this piece great is that a number of extra details have been added in to make it closer to a diorama than a single miniature. Not only do you have the grot helping the orruk to load the ballista, there are a couple more helping move and load the ammo. The sculpted footsteps and wheel tracks in the base are another really nice touch.
Painting Techniques
Skin (Orruk)
Ork Flesh is applied 1:1 with Lahmian Medium. Terradon Turquoise is applied in recesses such as the eyes, mouth, hands etc. Ogryn Camo and Krieg Khaki were applied as a glaze. Kislev Flesh is applied as a glaze around the face and hands. Shyish Purple and Volupus Pink was mixed 1:1 and applied as a very thin wash and added to the recesses as a final shade.
Sybarite Green was added as a highlight to the lips, then mixed with Screaming Skull as a final highlight of the lips.
Skin (Hobgrot)
A full Skeleton Horde shade was applied using Lahmian Medium 1:2, followed by a second recess shade of Aggaros Dunes. It was then highlighted gradually from Hobgrot Hide to Ushabti Bone using mixes of the two paints to transition.
Eyes
Teeth
Cloth
Shyish Purple was applied as a thinned glaze over the top to bring the brightness down. Russ Grey was used to highlight the threads.
Ropes
Gore Grunta Fur and Snakebite Leather were applied 1:1. Tallarn Sand was mixed 1:1 with Corax White as a final highlight.
Leather
Cygor Brown and Basilicanum Grey were applied 1:1. Baneblade Brown was mixed 1:1 with Corax White as a final highlight.
Stone
Space Wolves Grey and Basilicanum Grey were applied 1:1, the shaded with pure Space Wolves Grey.
Wood
Wyldwood and Black Templar were applied 1:1. Stormvermin Fur was mixed 2:1 with Krieg Khaki, then 1:1, then pure Krieg Khaki as a final highlight.
Shield
Flesh Tearers Red and Blood Angels Red were applied 2:1.
Steel
A wash of Wyldwood, Black Templar and Contrast Medium 1:1:2 was applied, then highlighted with Leadbelcher, then a 1:1 of Leadbelcher and Stormhost Silver.
For the weapon tips I added some rust and poison:
Bronze
Base
The base was applied with some Stirland Mud, then painted with some greys and browns for the dirt and rock. Once painted a number of tufts were applied, then finished off with some water effects.
Gamers Grass
AK Interactive
Finally I painted the outside of the base:
Roundup
I kept the colors the same as I've used across the rest of the army, although I did add a few more colors to the wood as it's much more of a focal point compared to the miniatures I've painted so far. It doesn't look too different but is a bit brighter and allowed me to pick out a more detail on the wood grain. I'll likely do the same for any more larger pieces of wood on future miniatures.
