Skaven in the Snow

Crank that shit ratty, crank it good!

This strange looking variant of the doom-flayer first appeared during Clan Vrixis’ assault on the dwarf hold of Karak Izor carved into Copper Mountain. Although the mines were nearly exhausted of metals, the warpstone contained in the heart of the ancient mountain (and dwarf slag heaps) made the fortress a tempting target. The well-equipped Clan Vrixis, accompanied by Skryre engineers, attempted a rock-cracking sneak attack from below in the depths of a harsh winter. The clan’s overzealous Warlord Grittix insisted on the use of nearly all the explosives brought and the Skryre engineers were only too happy to agree. The resulting blast brought sent a good portion of Karak Izor and many rudely awakened dwarves plummeting into the abyss. However, this massive collapse sealed off any entrances cracked open, and the dwarves were now preparing for the Skaven’s subterranean assault.

I washed it with a new & crappy brush which left hairs everywhere that are surprisingly stiff/horsey.

Out of bombs and furious at his blunder, Warlord Grittix ordered his army to assault from above, entering from a mineshaft in the pass leading up Copper Mountain. Upon emerging, the pallid faces and dim eyes of the ratmen were stung by blinding snow and ice. A massive blizzard had sealed the pass, slowing the progress of the cumbersome and unprepared Skaven war machines required to crack dwarven walls. Warpfire throwers were employed to melt a path, as were battalions of slaves to dig, but both expended too quickly at the task and were needed for the coming assault. The frustrated engineers were blamed for the explosion’s earlier failure and ordered to devise a way to clear the snow in time to reach the dwarves before they recovered.

Bits and bobs (and a backpack) were used to make the generator. The cart is the old Skull Pass dwarf cart cleaned of all ornate fanciery. Augers are some weird wall screws I found in the Darkster's basement and the cage is balsa wood.

Tinkering with a well-sized warp generator and some mining equipment (brought in anticipation of quick success) soon produced a self-propelled machine capable of clearing snow at a prodigious rate. The snow was thrown by mining augers, leaving a path big enough for the war machines to get through. Although it allowed the Skaven to clear the pass in a day, the assault was no surprise to the dwarves and was stiffly repulsed, although much of the Karak Izor was battered down in the process. Pressed into combat against the armoured walls of dwarves, the new device quickly proved as efficient at slaughter as purpose-built doom-flayers.

Augers spin clockwise (from right) to fling snow/limbs.
Wooden cage keeps rat somewhat dry/safe.
Spikes and skulls are scary.

The device was brought along when the clan made its battered return to the Under-Empire. It was taken by Clan Skryre as part of repayment for the lost profits on this near-success, and similar devices were soon produced as cheaper alternatives to the conventional doom-flayer design. Grey Seer Skribbins, with a beady eye for sweet deals, snapped up a few of the devices for trial in his coming campaigns...