They came from the sea…The Rat-Kin Reavers are released!

In ages past, legends tell of how a strange race, the Rat-Kin, infested the sewers and caverns beneath the great northern city of Pons Aelius. Then came the time of unmaking, the Dark Ages. As with so many other cities catastrophe hit, a tsunami flooding the streets, drowning many and forcing the survivors to flee for their lives. Of the Rat-Kin no trace remained and it was long believed that they had all been drowned. Then the raids started.

Villages along the coast were found burning, their houses destroyed and their inhabitants vanished into the night. The few survivors carried tales of how as darkness fell a foul smell of death and rotting fur had wafted inland on the sea breezes, like the breath of the god of death. Then from the sea they came. Hideous creatures with glowing eyes garbed as men in salt-stained rags and scraps of armour. The Rat-Kin. The Gnawing Tide.

So, what inspired me to produce the Rat-Kin? When you think of rats and wargaming, it would be unsurprising if your mind went to Skaven. These iconic models have been a fantasy staple for decades. Traditionally their aesthetic has been based on ninjas and assassins, combined with an unhealthy amount of wacky creatures and machines. Naturally I am a huge fan.

However, the actual inspiration for the Rat-Kin comes from the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. These books feature anthropomorphic creatures, the first instalment of which sees a peaceful monastery of mice-monks raided by a gang of terrifying rats. I read this as a child and was immediately hooked. When reading the book I always imagined the rats as Vikings, the abbey as somewhere like Lindisfarne. That is the vibe I wanted to invoke with the Rat-Kin.

The Rat-Kin miniatures have been designed for 28mm wargaming, scaling well with traditionally sculpted miniatures (such as Warhammer Skaven), and have been sculpted by Alan Marsh. Some of my favourite design elements include the barnacles clinging to their equipment, evidence of their seaborne existence and giving them a “grimdark Viking” feel. They are primarily designed as skirmish figures for use in games such as Mordheim or Frostgrave, but they can also be ranked up if you prefer to use them in a rank-and-flank style wargame, such as Old World or Dragon Rampant. Fifteen unique miniatures are available (all cast in quality metal), including:

Chieftain

Tide Caller

Bone Seer

Berserker

Burrow Guard x2

Spear Rats x3

Axe Rats x3

Slinger Rats x3

These will be sold individually and as a set (with a discount). Mordheim fans will note how this collection is the perfect starting point for a warband. This has been a real passion project for me so I hope you are excited about them as I am!

As a reward for reading this far, please use this discount code "Clubhouse26" for 10% off your next purchase :)