Slann with Blowpipe - Citadel C32 Slann: Akabylk (1986)

On we go painting Slann, with the second addition to what should, in perspective, become a Savage Slann warband. Here you can see its first member.

To keep the two matching, I kept the same pattern on the skin: the basic complexion is obtained through mixes of Vallejo Olive Green and Lime Green, while the streaks are Citadel Caledor Blue. Everything got a wash of Biel-Tan Green and then a highlighting with the original colours. I'm quite happy with the final result, which achieves a successful mimetism with the grass of the base and the water tank accessories I use as battlefield elements for Lustria.

This miniature, along with the Slann Shaman I did a couple of months ago, is also part of the slotta C32 range, sculpted by Trish Morrison, and was presented in the 1986 Citadel May flyer. It is name "Akabylk" - the pun here was unrecognizable to me and I only learned it from another fellow Oldhammerer's blog - which is a corruption of the name Acker Bilk, a British Jazz musician. Why? He played the clarinet, of course!

The figure looks relatively plain, but there are some nice details here and there. The Slann wears a loincloth made of alligator or crocodile hide, with some fur on the inside which I painted fox reddish. The detail on my miniature was dulled, possibly because of stripping (I got it from ebay). Strings hold the loincloth in place and allow the blowpipe to be hung from the shoulder: I painted both as red leather.

Between the legs is something of which I'm not sure. It could be a wickerwork decoration for the loincloth, or a wicker basket full of something. I just painted it the colour of dried grass. For the base I used a base of Vallejo German C. Black Brown, one of the colours I use most, which I covered with Citadel Stirland Battlemire, washed in black and drybrushed in lighter brown (Vallejo Flat Brown, which has a nice reddish finish). Using vinylic glue I put a couple of reeds from a Noch pack bought years ago at a fair, and I must say they do their job. It looks better than the other base I did for the Shaman - I think it really brings out the character of the crouched figure ready to strike its target with a poisoned dart. What do you think? Let me know if you have the same miniature and found different solutions for painting a basing, I'm quite interested!