Customer briefing

War and Decay: The Complete Death Guard

This project started with a very clear premise: classic Death Guard, but set in a corrupted natural environment. The client wanted to avoid a finish that was too clean or “catalog-perfect” and opted for a more narrative-driven army—one that was grittier and conveyed a sense of history.
The guidelines focused on three points: color consistency, the presence of rust and liquids, and bases that reinforced the concept of a diseased forest. The goal wasn’t to have individual pieces that stood out above the rest, but rather a cohesive and believable whole.
With that foundation, we structured the entire project so that each unit fit within the same visual language, retaining its personality while maintaining the army’s overall unity.

Photo of the project, Ornate level

A living army… or almost

We kicked off the project with a general airbrush base coat for the entire army. This allowed us to unify the tones from the start and work faster without compromising consistency. From there, we divided the units among the team and moved forward with brushwork, adding details, weathering, and effects.
The bases were, without a doubt, the most delicate part of the process. Not because of technical complexity, but because of drying times, especially in areas with a puddle effect. We had to coordinate the timing carefully so as not to slow down the workflow.
Throughout the process, we kept track of progress with photos, ensuring the result stayed on track. The final check focused on balancing highlights, grime, and contrasts so that the entire army looked cohesive as a whole.