Chaos Talisman Trio

One day at Games Workshop HQ, Aly Morrison came up to me with a big bag of Talisman figures.  “I found this bag of scrabby old models in my basement, and I was gonna bin ’em.  Then I remembered you like scrabby old stuff.”  I was over the moon.  Here’s the first three painted.

Talisman Chaos Trio in the Morning WoodThe Chaos Brothers defending portal dolmens in the Mourning Wood.

All three figures are from 3rd edition Talisman, which I originally owned as my Dad bought it for me and my brother in the mid-1990s .  Until that point I’d been exclusively into Warhammer 40,000, and this was my first real experience of the Warhammer Fantasy world.  My painting has improved since then.

Talisman Chaos Trio in the Morning WoodTHIN YOUR PAINTS.

I’ve been quite annoyed at my initial choice of colour for my Chaos Warriors.  Red and metal is very vanilla.  To start stamping greater identity on them I’ve taken the flames from Clyro Burns’ robes and run them onto the armour panels.  It does help break up the plain surfaces and make them less generi-chaos.

With the rising market value of the old metal Chaos Thug ranges, these muscly barbarians are welcome reinforcements to my Chaos Thug unit.  I have played with them as Blood Warriors in Age of Sigmar, and Bellicose Foot in Dragon Rampant.  The variety of designs and themes in the range means they can slip in, though they are noticeably beefier and taller.  But hey, it’s Chaos.

Talisman Chaos Trio in the Morning Wood

3rd edition Talisman Barbarian and Warrior.  Interestingly, one of these is a resculpt of the other.

I’m looking through the rest of the Talisman range now to see what other figures will fit in my Chaos warband.  The Minotaur, Skaven, Black Orc and Chaos Sorcerer are all potentials.

Thanks for the minis Aly!

Curis

Curis has painted for Games Workshop, Forge World, Warlord Games, Mantic Games, Avatars of War, Wargames Foundry, Studio McVey and many others. He's won at Golden Demon and Salute. He publishes monthly painting tutorials on Patreon.

20 thoughts on “Chaos Talisman Trio

  • September 14, 2017 at 11:18 am
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    I wasn’t particularly keen on those plastics at the time, with a couple of exceptions.

    Last year or so I got excited about them while painting Silver Tower figs and I am now definitely a fan.

    You have made them look absolutely lush Curis. Fabulous.

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    • September 14, 2017 at 11:36 am
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      I loved them all! The world of Warhammer Fantasy was unfolding before me with each one! Ratpeople?! Goblins?! Gandalfs?! Minotaurs?! People with crossbows? It was great. The Knight was my favourite as he was the easiest to paint and had a Crusades vibe going, which I could link back to Lego.

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  • September 14, 2017 at 11:22 am
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    Scrabbly models?! For shame Mr Morrision. Lovely work on those lads, those barbarians are superfine.

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    • September 14, 2017 at 11:37 am
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      Thanks! I’ve not done the Warrior’s chunky face and sausage hair any favours with my paintjob – that’s why it’s got the bloodsplats.

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  • September 14, 2017 at 12:39 pm
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    Wow. You have made those old plastic sculpts look the absolute business!

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    • September 14, 2017 at 12:49 pm
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      Thanks! They come from a time when White Dwarf kept repeating the mantra “These new plastic miniatures are almost as good as metal one”, which I always thought was odd.

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  • September 14, 2017 at 1:04 pm
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    Curis those are fantastic. I especially luv the blud splatter and nipples. LMAO I do hope you’ve kept that old paint job, I have a couple of my childhood ones floating around just for fun. ;)

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    • September 14, 2017 at 1:11 pm
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      Thanks! I have painted Nipplor with a waxed chest, I only now realise. Miniatures are often unwittingly self-portraits

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  • September 14, 2017 at 1:10 pm
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    Very nice work mate, they look fantastic. Love the flames. ??

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    • September 14, 2017 at 1:12 pm
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      Ta! I went back to the Barbarian and added flames to his shoulderpad after I did the initial photo of him in the forest. It really help break up the plates! Though it was a pain painting smooth flames over a surface with thick bloodsplat already on.

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      • September 16, 2017 at 10:07 pm
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        A barbarian of his immense grimness would paint right over blood-splats without a seconds hesitation, or thought of any kind. Sort of like this rental place I had once where the owners painted straight over blue-tac on the walls.

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        • September 17, 2017 at 12:59 pm
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          But it’s more effort to paint over the Blu-Tac! Grim.

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  • September 14, 2017 at 5:04 pm
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    Booby Barbarian for the win! You have really made these old mono pose guys look great. Wit the soft detail they must have been a bit of a chore to paint up well though yeah?

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    • September 14, 2017 at 5:15 pm
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      Ha, replying to this comment so you’re trapped into commenting on the next post too.

      They weren’t difficult to paint as I was working under strict time constraints of having to paint them for a game with sho3box and the Irish lads. That stopped me worrying about the limitations of the sculpts.

      The correct term, by the way, is “Boobarian”.

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  • September 14, 2017 at 7:30 pm
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    Man, these are lovely! I couldn’t imagine these minis could look so gorgeous! :O

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    • September 14, 2017 at 9:22 pm
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      Thanks. Looking at the original paintjobs my ‘Eavy Metal though makes me realise there’s so much room for improvement. That Stuart Thomas guy was a talented bloke.

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      • October 21, 2017 at 9:06 pm
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        Was? WAS?!! Seriously though, thankyou very much. The Talisman and WHQ plastics are some of the work that I am most proud of. I’m deeply touched that people still appreciate them to this day. Thanks.

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        • October 21, 2017 at 9:11 pm
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          Oh, and I love what you’ve done with them. You’ve perfectly updated the 90’s painting style for the modern age. Fabulous clean, strong painting.

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  • September 15, 2017 at 4:59 pm
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    Blast from the past for sure, and your work, of course, is exemplary.

    I totally would’ve painted up Boobarian to look like He-Man… :)

    Nice one! \m/_

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    • September 16, 2017 at 1:56 am
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      Damn it! Can’t believe I missed that opportunity his haircut presented! And I’ve been been working on an Orco from Heresy Miniatures recently too. Bah.

      Reply

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