Warhammer Quest – Darkwater The Manticore Knight

This time, alongside unboxing Warhammer Quest Darkwater, we’re trying something new - we’re painting a selection of miniatures from the set.

After going through the Heroes sprue, I considered which figure would be the most interesting for me to paint. While avoiding the main character was tempting, I ultimately decided on Edmark Valoran, the Manticore Knight. Something about this model really stood out, and I wanted to experiment with a new paint scheme for him.

Let’s start by assembling the miniature. The entire set is designed as push-fit (as we know it from various starter sets and the Underworld range), so glue isn’t strictly necessary, but I highly recommend using it for a clean fit. Just pushing the parts together might leave gaps and the plastic glue not only bonds the parts together but actually melts them, filling in smaller gaps. All heroes come in light beige plastic, divided into several finely detailed components on the sprue. The Manticore Knight, for example, consists of five pieces plus a round base with a peg hole instead of a slot.

I’m not thrilled with how this model is split. While the cloak’s assembly is cleverly handled - the join is hidden in a fold, making it barely visible and easy to disguise. However, the shield is molded as part of the main body and sits close to it, which makes reaching certain areas tricky during painting.

Not wanting to limit myself to a single hero, I also browsed through the multiple sprues of the NPCs. I briefly considered the spectral undead horses, but ultimately chose the Nurgle-themed markers, which seemed especially interesting.

Both received simple, clean bases. A rough mixture of gravel and sand, kept flat for a neat finish. For the Manticore Knight, I left the scabbard unattached during painting, pushing it into place just enough to hold and removing it later for better access.

When it came to color choices for the Manticore Knight, I sought inspiration online, among other resources browsing Cities of Sigmar articles on Warhammer Community. I considered painting him in blue or a blue-and-yellow combination. The striking yellow shield with a gate symbol and black trim caught my attention, as did the classic look of the Knights of Dol Amroth from the Lord of the Rings range (the blue, the helmet crest and using a limited palette provide a great inspiration). I even researched blue and yellow heraldry, discovering several Bavarian knights featuring lions that sparked ideas for this model, as well as seeing a certain proximity to the Alliance faction of Warcraft due to the crest and colour choice.

After experimenting with different color schemes in Photoshop, I narrowed it down to three digital mockups. Eventually, I went with a combination of the first and third options.

I began by blocking out the main colors to get a feel for the overall look. At this stage, I always remind myself to trust the process—it might not come together until a wash is applied, but that’s all part of the journey. As expected, painting the area between the shield and body was a challenge.

The project took about a full day, including base coats, washes, and highlights. The side-by-side photo with the studio version shows my interpretation. I’m happy with how it turned out! Next time, I’ll start with lighter base colors to have room for a stronger contrasts and greater depth. A headband magnifier is also on my wish list; reviewing close-up photos revealed areas that need a bit more clean-up.

As a palette cleanser, after feeling a bit frustrated with the shield, I painted the Nurgle markers for some quick, enjoyable progress, while the Manticore Knight dried inbetween steps. The same lesson applies here: starting with a lighter base and building up contrast with black lining and washes is key. Either way, I’m pleased with the result.

Adding this painting segment provided an interesting new angle to my usual coverage, and it’s something I’m considering including in future reviews as well.

Warhammer Quest is a brand by Games Workshop.

The reviewed product item was provided by the manufacturer.