Yes, I like this pose, too, and I've seen it before. But I think it was a limited edition, or special model, correct? I must confess, the finecast Slann is good, but I'm interested to see what GW does with it in plastic. I agree with you and others that, if the sculpt is cool/epic, I'll consider it. I have a Slann proxy, but it would be cool to have an official GW version. The one drawback is that, good or bad, the current Slann model is going to become harder to find (and more expensive).What about this guy?...
A fair point.
Since I already own the current sculpt, I'd be curious to see what GW can come up with. If it's epic, then I'll add to my already considerable Slann collection!
The difference in those pictures is that in WHF he's surrounded by temple guard, and due to how WHF works, that is essentially one unit.
That's how the model was designed. You wanted "temple guard standing in formation around them" and that is exactly what the model allows you to field.
The issue is that it was designed for WHF, where there were very few (if any) independent models.
This might fit your fancy more...
You know you can paint it with more than one colour!
In fact, many top painters claim that having some open space on a model (free of detail) allows greater painting expression. There are Slanns out there with such amazing paint jobs that it will make your head spin. Far from monochrome as you describe it.Not every model needs more details. Today's models are often plagued with an oversaturation of details.
Funny you should mention that...
Fine, lemme rephrase.
For a named character, like Kroak, sure, for a random Slann this'd be considerable overkill.This might fit your fancy more...
That requires a high level of painting skill though.You know you can paint it with more than one colour!
It can remain contemplative, and subtle. A simple way to add dynamics to the model would for example be to have the Skink attendant do something. Have him hold up an artifact for the slann. Have him read out the slann's orders from a golden plague. Have the skink point and scowl at someone unworthy approaching the Slann. Have a skink fan the slann with some feathers like one of the pictures I showed earlier.
See, already improves the model massivly
It is a mystery to us all.
It's a decent sculpt for WFB. Just needs an update for AoS.
That said, @Killer Angel is into AoS and he has expressed admiration for the current Slann model. So maybe it isn't that clear cut.
That requires a high level of painting skill though.
For example this one:
Looks quite good, and even has a base that was made rather nice. It's one of the few paitning jobs I've seen where the little snake and frog are actually fairly visible (though it helps it's zoomed in)
However, it's also a golden demon entry.
And how much better would this paint job be on something like the new Kroak model? If anything, the size and complexity of such a model would only exasperate the situation.The average slann looks closer to this:
And this is already above average as at least he has clean lines and did some details like the eyes and boils pretty well.
But it has pretty large areas that are basicly monochrome, especially from a distance.
I think we simply have different tastes here. I like the model exactly the way it is (aside from it not being in hard plastic).
Now I know we'll never see eye-to-eye. I think the entire OBR model range, including Katakros, is absolute dog s%*t. GW couldn't sell me on it even if they were giving it away for free.
I suppose it's been a while... we were due another disagreement!
An elegant sculpt for a more civilized age.
A beauty of a paint job by @neveroddoreven.What you "need" are new Saurus Warriors.
As for how well the current Slann model works in AoS, that's not really in my purview. We all know what I think of AoS.
As my long standing favourite model, I'm a huge fan of the current Slann. In my eyes, it has not been dethroned by any of the third party offerings or by the GW's new Kroak model. I think it is fantastic in the WFB setting (which we seem to agree on) and as a model in general. If it doesn't fit well in AoS, I'll take that as a compliment.
I've seen many great Slann paint jobs that are not Golden Daemon winners. You can find lots of amazing work in this thread.
I don't think that the Slann models requires extraordinary levels of skill to paint (as compared to other models), but like Bretonnia it does offer the masters of the craft a little bit of room to flex their muscles, for instance our very own @neveroddoreven :
https://www.lustria-online.com/thre...ncients-salamanders-master.18214/#post-166497
And how much better would this paint job be on something like the new Kroak model? If anything, the size and complexity of such a model would only exasperate the situation.
I actually feel that the current Slann would be far more entry level painter friendly than the new Kroak model.
I think we simply have different tastes here. I like the model exactly the way it is (aside from it not being in hard plastic).
Now I know we'll never see eye-to-eye. I think the entire OBR model range, including Katakros, is absolute dog s%*t. GW couldn't sell me on it even if they were giving it away for free.
I suppose it's been a while... we were due another disagreement!
An elegant sculpt for a more civilized age.
I mean, we "need" a whole lot of updates.
O it's definitly a personal preference. There's always going to be some who like the current thing and some who don't.As for how well the current Slann model works in AoS, that's not really in my purview. We all know what I think of AoS.
The pictures don't work
A slann is more beginner friendly, in the sense that it's easier to do a basic paintjob. As it's a simpler model, and it's less noticeable that you didn't do highlights and shading and such. While on Kroak, not doing highlights/shading/etc. will quickly start to look weird.
Fair enough
I can't say I like the OBR, they look rather silly, and even the basic concept isn't my thing.
A new year, a new discussion.I suppose it's been a while... we were due another disagreement!
Mwha, civilized.....An elegant sculpt for a more civilized age.
And while there's some nice ones in that thread the 2nd picture illustrates exactly what I mean.
It's this slann, painted by @n810
It's a nice job. It has good shading. But only up close. If you are even at a slight distance from it quickly just becomes a green-brown-ish blob with very few details that stand out, simply because there just aren't any interesting details, or any sort of movement going on to look at..
Similarly, this Slann by @sillyduck123
Again, nice shading, nice highlights, way better than what I can do, but from a distance it'll again become a gray-ish blob.
Neither of these are bad paint-jobs by any means (again, better than anything I have painted). It's just that there are very few details that still stand out from more than 5 cm away due to the way the model is designed.
A slann is more beginner friendly, in the sense that it's easier to do a basic paintjob. As it's a simpler model, and it's less noticeable that you didn't do highlights and shading and such. While on Kroak, not doing highlights/shading/etc. will quickly start to look weird.
However, Kroak is easier to actually start to make it look good, as sculpt does some of the heavy lifting for you. You don't need to free-hand (or convert) any interesting details, the sculpt already has them.
For example, take the little face at the front of the chair.
So these parts:Kroak's decoration juts out, and is relativly easy to paint to some basic standard, and even without any fancy highlighting it will quite literally jump out of the chair and be noticeable from a distance, so long as it's a different colour from the surrounding stone.
The slann's is much smaller, which already makes it harder to paint. But even when painted it's still only a small flat bit on the chair. Making the detail jump out is much much harder, even when it's a very different colour (red on gray should be fairly visible, yet I'd say it's much less eye-catching than Kroak's decoration.)
I think that comes down to personal preference. That OBR model you mentioned looks too busy in my eyes. I like the calmness that the Slann model exudes. Other people, including you, will prefer the opposite. Nothing wrong with either approach.
To you as well.On that note, happy new year
