The HeroQuest Hero Quest: The Chaos Warrior

Following on from our last installment of The HeroQuest Hero Quest

HeroQuest Chaos Warior

When the idea to paint the HQ models was discussed I was keen to paint one up but I immediately knew that a "Hero" or murderhobo as I tend to view them is not exactly something that is in my general oeuvre.   Once the murderhobos were claimed by the various Creeps I was quick to stake my claim for the Chaos Warrior.

Chaos Warrior Stats from HeroQuest - Of course I did, the UK one is $%&+.

The chaos warrior, an iconic symbol of GW.  This is one of the most excellent images or our HeroQuest style chaos warrior (art from Advanced HeroQuest, by Adrian Smith), it expresses their raw power and menace beautifully. 

Slambo lives up to his name by hitting henchmen hard enough to embed them in dungeon walls.

Designing the Chaos Warior

With the technology of the time there were serious design constraints to contend with

The Chaos Warrior model was developed from a Chaos Warrior prototype.  I assume this was made by Jes Goodwin, but I don't know for sure.

HeroQuest Chaos Warrior prototype featured in White Dwarf painted by Mike McVey

The prototype is very reminiscent of the classic Slambo Chaos Warrior mini, this one is the best example of which I have found painted.

Slambo painted by JiNNai

  

The final design is more stylized and graphical, created with organic curves that improve the overall aesthetic balance.  The design has also become a bit statue like with some weird overlong overhangs as a result of positioning the elements in a tolerance to the manufacturing process.


There is also this variant of the production HeroQuest plastics who could be the brother of our warrior..but he is a project for another day :).

Separated at birth?

 

Painting the Chaos Warior

Overall I feel that our chaos warrior is a pretty decent realisation of the prototype design.  So let's prove it with some painting!

When painting this antique I duly adhered to the constraints: 

• Paint one of the models from Heroquest  
• Dont muck around with it too much, a reinterpretation isnt what is desired, just a new paint job on an old model  
• Rebasing is allowed 

HeroQuest Chaos Warrior

I opted to liberate this fellow from his base, I am not a fan of those myself but they can be made to look groovy in the right hands.  I wanted to give the model a bit more dynamism by changing the centre line on the model to the right by having him standing on a sloped base.  He is a wide stanced lad so I stuck him on a 30mm diameter base.

Mushrooms made from GS

I figure on using this old boy as my avatar in future games of Silver Tower, I wanted him to be as vaingloriously attention mongering as the best murderhobo.  I gave him a soapbox level of height for that purpose.  

I sculpted in some mushrooms as I imagine him posing on rocks in dungeons/caves/orphanages looking to pwn noobz for lewt and XP's.

Single handedly bringing the chainmail mini skirt back into fashion.

One unusual feature of the sculpt is that the helmet is actually directly connected to the shoulder pads in a feature reminiscent of an M.C. Escher artwork.  The result of this is that our chap would not be able to turn his head.  To help him out I have painted an eyeball on to the middle part of his helmet which also contributes to the general chaosicity and adds some vital comedy value for group games. 

I chose a classic colour scheme with a simple animal print.  The animal print is alluding to a history crusading (AKA organised murderhoboing).

So to finish up, I am tagging in our buddy AirborneGrove from http://givemlead.blogspot.ie/ in as he has kindly agreed to paint up one of the HeroQuest models in his wonderfully unique style.  We look forward to seeing what he comes up with.