So Many Trays, So Many Rats: Starting a Skaven Army
We had one of those very good hobby days where the post finally arrived and suddenly the pile of plans became very real.
It started with a very practical observation from Wilini: that is a lot of trays. And honestly, yes — it really is. The kind of purchase that immediately makes us happy, and then one second later reminds us how much clipping, cleaning, and gluing is waiting ahead.
Wilini summed it up perfectly: there will be some fun with assembling all of this. Which, in hobby language, means: this is going to take a while, but it will be worth it.
Stas was immediately happy that lance trays were included too — apparently that was one of the first things Wilini was looking for in the first place. Very relatable. Sometimes the glamorous part of army-building is not the centerpiece monster or hero, but the boring logistical stuff that makes the whole force actually usable on the table.
Then came the real fuel for the project: packages arrived.
And this is where the army idea started sounding especially fun. Michał was pleasantly surprised by the 2009 Clanrats — much nicer than expected, which is always a great feeling when opening older kits. There was also a very enthusiastic shoutout for the Orc Boss, described simply and accurately as beautiful.
From there, the conversation naturally turned into the important question: what list are we actually building?
Michał already had a direction in mind. The core sounds gloriously Skaven:
- 40 Clanrats
- 30 Giant Rats
- a Hell Pit Abomination
- and four battle mages
At that point Stas reacted the only sensible way: four mages?!
And honestly, same. That kind of list already sounds like exactly the sort of army we love seeing come together — a proper rat tide, weird energy, a giant monster, and a magic phase that threatens to get completely out of hand.
There is one uncertainty hanging over the project, though. Michał asked around on Discord about whether the new Renegades 2.0 can be played, and right now that question seems pretty important for event plans. If they cannot, then taking part in Dragon is apparently very much up in the air. So this is one of those classic army-building moments where enthusiasm for the models meets the slightly less romantic side of rules legality and event restrictions.
Still, even with that question unresolved, the list concept itself sounds fantastic. Big blocks, swarms of rats, a Hell Pit, loads of magic — it has that wonderfully chaotic Skaven energy from the very start.
Wilini’s final verdict on the whole thing was simple: awesome. We agree.
This is exactly the kind of project we love following: a stack of trays, fresh deliveries, unexpectedly cool older sculpts, and a list that already feels like it could become either a masterpiece or a disaster in the most entertaining Skaven way possible.
We are definitely curious to see how this one develops once the assembly marathon really begins.