Sparowl's Nightstalkers

I started my Kings of War experience with Undead (Sparowl’s Undead), and decided I wanted something a little faster for my next army. I’d play tested Halflings (beta list) a bit, and very much enjoyed playing flyers. However, an upcoming tournament (Refugees of the Olde Worlde) wasn’t using the Beta list or upcoming CoK2022 book, so I needed a different army.

One night, in a fit of insomnia, I wrote up a concept for a Nightstalkers army, themed around a corrupted farmstead, figured out models I wanted to use for it, and apparently fired up my 3d printer. Waking up the next morning, I decided to just roll with it.

Along the way, I made a few changes and tried out a few new techniques. I used clear resin for some of it, then did alcohol ink washes. I upped my base game from last time, building out full bases with nameplates built into them, and finally tried out some metallic/color shift paints. Overall I’m pretty happy with how it came out, especially since I printed, painted, etc. the entire thing in six weeks.

Sadly, some of the models were damaged in driving back from the Refugees tournament, and I have kind of scrapped them rather then repair them.



I had decided on running Void Lurkers. I love dragons, and I feel like they are very viable. This is Big Red, the first of my Dragon-Chickens. Unfortunately, the Calamity Cockatrice was completely destroyed, and Fenwick somehow didn’t get pictures taken (and I didn’t feel like setting up the photo booth again).

The base is clear, with the flames and eggs being very thin washes that show light through, and I would look to eventually put a light in the bottom. The wings are done with several types of red metallic color shifts, and the beak/legs are using yellow metallics.




My Esenyshra is a model I’m very happy with. It’s a digital meld of two other models. It’s entirely clear resin, inked green on top, red on the bottom, and then I painted in some details between.


Nahum Gardner - In the Refugees tournament, we had a free “Defender” model. This was what I decided to use. Since then, I’ve used him as a Horror, but he basically works for any Hero (inf).



These are my Mind Screeches. Originally I was looking at using Beholders, but ended up going with these instead. They’re using a few blue color shifts, then I did the bone in a high contrast style to really highlight how weird they are. Lore wise, I figure they are the ones really messing with the farmstead, mutating whatever they see.

In game - I love these three. They safely put out a lot of damage, can run and grab objectives, and I’ve even thrown them in melee a few times (especially if I get a flank or rear).




My Planar Apparition. I speed painted him, so he’s got a few areas I could touch up, but he’s good enough for tabletop. And is very good on the tabletop - both heal and Mind Fog are amazing spells, and he’s not terrible in melee. Plus Dread.




My Butchers. Again, playing with clear resins and alcohol inks, then a little bit of acrylics on top. The bar’s base and bar stand is actually all one piece, which I printed clear just to get the water effect coming out of the barrel. The two up front slowly turning into shamblers are digital melds, and I’m pretty happy with how they came out.

The Meat Shop had a few more models, but they aren’t attached anymore. There was a butcher behind the meat counter, and a priest being mutated into another shambler (another meld).

In game, I run the green ones with Pathfinder item, and the red ones with Sharpness.






Soulflayers. Lot of fun playing around with these, but man are they fragile. I digitally spliced extra legs onto each horse (they only start with 4, and the Nightstalker lore says 6, so…)




Phantoms are brilliant chaff. I went with weird chicken models, then decided some regular chickens alongside them would fit just fine. A friend of mine raises chickens, and I consulted him with a few details, after which I named one of the units after him.





Scarecrows. They’re the only thing below FMC in the army (well, when all the models are on the bases), but I just couldn’t bring myself to paint that many scarecrows, so instead I upscaled these and filled in the rest with tall grass and fences.





For a speed painting project, I’m pretty pleased with it, and while I might return to it down the line (I have some good ideas for Reapers and Shadowhulk, etc.), I’m happy with moving onto a new project.

I’m happy to answer any questions people have.

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that is a lovecraftian thing of beauty. Excellent work throughout from the bases up thanks so much for sharing

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Stunning looking army - great stuff

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Wow wow wow!! That’s incredible…

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Smart selection of sculpts painted very well, on cool bases :black_heart: The Butchers are my favorite units, love the tinted clear resin, but the Esenyshra combined minis is brilliant! And another awesome use of clear resin. Final shoutout on the Soulflayers - I’ve got those sculpts too and never connected how much they look like the Mantic ones! Great eye.

Sad to hear the army got mangled :frowning:

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I have Miskatonic University shirts that I wear when I take the army to tournaments. They’re part of my collection of faux university shirts that I like to wear around - if people get the reference, great, if not, they just look like university shirts.

I’ve had a few people, mid-game, suddenly laugh and go “I just got your shirt”

I joked with some friends about making a “Miskatonic University’s Agricultural Department Presents” pamphlet that had my army list along with pictures and a quick blurb for each unit.

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Thanks! I love the artistic side of the hobby, and there’s a lot of great stuff out there for inspiration.

Thanks! I really enjoyed putting it all together.

It’s funny, the bases were such a little thing once I figured out how to do them (they are basically just nested cubes in Windows 3d Builder, plus some line art filigree that I converted using an art-to-lithophane program).

But little details are what make great art, I’ve been learning.

Playing with clear resin was a trip, but opened up a lot of possibilities. Especially since it takes acrylic paints as easily, so you can really just use it for everything and keep what you need clear.

I’m super pleased with Esenyshra - the model, the paintjob, the way she plays - just very happy. The digital melding really was more time then effort - lots of little details to clean up, but well worth it.

Fleshcraft makes some amazing stuff. I used the Mourning Knights as Wights for my undead. The pictures almost don’t do the sculpts justice.

It happened on the way back from a tournament, and was partially because I didn’t pack it well enough. One of my considerations for my next army is how easy it will be to pack securely and transport.

Thanks for the complements.

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go cephs! \o/

I like 'em! They’re all super creepy. The weird chickens especially.

I mean, chickens are already a bit creepy to me just as chickens.

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they look like ass blasters from Tremors 3

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Incredibly cool work Sparowl! I’m in the process of ideas for a Nightstalker army and you’re inspiring me to come up with a very specific story.
Your 3d printing skills are pretty rad, minisplicing aside, those bases look so clean.

My Shadow-Hulk, Elim.





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Not exactly the traditional looking Portal of Despair, but I like how it works with my army theme.

It’s roughly 6 inches tall to the peak.

The paneling along the sides and back (and the inside of the doors) was all flat, so I freehanded wood grain. I tried to do the inside of the doors in a way that would make sense from how doors are normally joined, and I’m overall happy with the effect.

This might be the last update here for a bit. I’m looking at starting a new army, as Nightstalkers are not scoring as well in paint at tournaments as I’d hoped. I think it’s mostly due to the variety and weirdness of some of the techniques I’ve been using.





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a perfectly fitting portal for your army. I love everything about it

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Looks pretty despairing and portal like to me!

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