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Greetings all!

Painting that Necrosphinx really has my hobby mojo flowing and I feel like painting an army again. This project will be for Arkhan, Nagash’s chief lieutenant. I’m still trying to pin down the color scheme but I think what I have will work fine. I’ll likely expand on it as I go. I’ve a real love for ancient Egypt. Everything they created has/had such character it’s a real thrill to recreate it in miniaturized form. I’ve painted a TK army in the past but had to sell it off to pay some bills. It will be fun to do it again I think.

Colors Scheme:
Detail – Dark red or black
Metal – Dark brass, gold highlighting w/ patina
Skeletal Bodies – Krylon Almond (satin), directional dry brushing, ivory highlighting
Mummified Flesh – Dark brown, flat earth highlights
Leather – Terracotta > tanned flesh > pale flesh
Gems – Unknown at the moment. Likely red.
Construct Bodies – Onyx (hopefully he marble technique I used for the Necrosphinx will translate)

Current Range Model Concerns:
Heroes
Kings/Princes – Good to go w/ new kits en route.
Liche Priest – Eww! Converted (see Below).
Herald – Really unbalanced but satisfactory

Core
Chariots – Great kit. Conversion (See Below).
Cavalry – Satisfactory.
Skeletons – God help me… (see Below)

Specials
Ushabti – Nice though expensive
Scorpion – One of my Favs.
Swarms – Acceptable but pricy & uninspired

Rares
Giant – Still like this kit. Conversion ideas brewing…
Catapult – Satisfactory.
Casket – Very sexy kit. Converted (see Below).

On Skeletons...



The current model range for this army is unusual. It contains new kits combined with some really OLD bits. Most of the range looks good together but some kits are really showing their age (Skeleton Warriors). This kit is so freaking antiquated GW really needs to put these sprews out to pasture. I can’t bring myself to use them and I’ve been searching for alternatives.

I’ve found that the current vampire counts skeleton range will satisfy the foot troop niche nicely if you are careful which parts you choose. I used 9/10 legs in the kit with the bare torsos, and bald heads. The spears work perfectly as they appear sufficiently ancient and their state of decay fits in nicely with this theme. Add in some TK shields and you’re done.

The archers are a different problem altogether… I don’t have an answer for this kit. I hate these models so much. If anyone has any ideas on how to circumvent these horrors please let me know.

On Liche Priests...


Currently there are only three LP models. One mounted/foot blister and the LP from the CoS (Casket of Souls) kit. I hate the blister and the casket kit is doing the ‘Big Arms’ thing (Eddie Izzard ref) and does not rank up so I converted them.

Now I’m not really satisfied with these conversions but I think they will suffice until GW releases some new models. They do fit in well with this army theme so I’ll likely grow to love them.

On the Casket of Souls…




I love this kit but an idea struck me yesterday that I just had to follow. Nagash created a huge pyramid made out of obsidian to show the world the degree of his badassness. I had an idea that his followers could use small replicas made from the original cursed glass as artifacts of war.

I designed this kit to float on a dais with a LP reading from a cursed tome to activate it. The dais is a Dragon Forge Temple base I had sitting around unused, and the base is made from acrylic sheet. The two guards will walk next to it as they are unworthy of hitching a ride.

On Chariots…




The current models for the chariots are pretty cool. The only problem I found was that they are not very character friendly. Normally the chariot is too narrow for ‘based’ heroes to be used but I found a work around. I like to keep my models modular if possible and this was simple. I Dremel’d out a nice groove along the base of the two sides of the chariot so you could fit a character inside that was mounted on a base. The Prince/King clicks right in. Sweetness…

More to come as I progress.

Great start soul of iron. As a big fan of your necro sphinx i look forward to progress. The wizard kits a beaut isn't it? I made an Haemunculus out of it for my dark eldar, really love the hammer horror/max shreck vibe it gives him.

After that sphinx I'd be thrilled to see a whole army of undeadites from you Great start with the modeling, I've come up against the same problems as you (terrible skeletons, bad liches) and weirdly had the same solutions (VC skeletons, empire wizards)! But while I dropped that ball, you're pushing forward, so props already. Dig that casket conversion too, quite striking - the book liche works very well on his own as well.

- Salvage

Thanks dude. I do like the kit. Made the LP conversion simple but effective.

My only hangup on this project are those blasted skeletal archers. I have NO idea what to do with those.

Shawn G. (SoI)


Automatically Appended Next Post:
More Pics

First Completed Unit - Skeleton Archer Cavalry





Herald, Necrotect, Tomb Kings/Princes

This has nothing to do with your models, but man do I dislike that plastic king. Big, soft-looking and bleh compared to the pointing-n-yelling metal dude

Do the TK bow arms really not work at all with the VC skellies? That was my plan back when, I figured they'd fit well enough. Barring that, it looks like those VC spear arms could have the spear sniped off, wire inserted and bows sculpted in well enough, with more action-y poses got through cutting the arm joints ... (Yea that sounds like work to me too )

Also: alright, completed unit hooooo!

- Salvage

Ooh, very nice. Eager to see this progress!

Really fantastic job with the wizards!

Whenever I see "Tomb Kings" in a title my eyes tend to glaze over, because it seems like such a limited model range peppered with some real duds. I'm amazed at your solutions. Kudos! They add exactly the amount of personality needed to make this army special and unique. Can't wait to see them painted, the one's you've finished so far look great.

Have you considered the mantic archers?



They're much more in line with the newer better-scaled GW sculpts than the old tomb kings ones.

They were the first models I looked at. The problem I have with them is that they are too Gothic. They would stand out too much I think. I may pick up a box and see but I don't have very high hopes.

I may have to break down and use the GW ones. /shudder

~Small Update~

I've started work on the dais for my casket conversion and it looks pretty cool so far. I'll get some picks up when it's base mounting is dry.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Perhaps check out WarGods of Aegyptus (Egyptian stuff is under AEgyptus):

https://www.crocodilegames.com/store/index.cfm

May have something there that tickles your fancy

@ Vitruvian XVII - Thank you very much for that! I looked at that site slightly but this second visit was a goldmine of stuff to use!

Here are some new pictures for my Black Dais (Casket) and Dias Guard. I’m liking this design so far!








Also here is a unit filler for my Skeleton unit. It really adds character to the unit and I’m growing more fond of the floating elements of this army. Reminds me of Stargate a little…








More to come as I progress.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Looking great,your black dais and the stargate obelisk look awesome.

Hehe, sweet! Look rerally creepy, hit the nail on the head when it comes to the theme of Arkhans TKs.

Where are the heads on the Guard from?

No probs on the link!

Your Necrosphinx was awsome, and these are looking just as good.
Although its no good me looking at this, i want to start a Tomb Kings army Are you being employed by GW to try and get as many new TK players as possible?

@ Vitruvian - They are from the old TK Blood Bowl team. They are head dresses that I thought would be perfect.

@ shingouki - I like it too. I have to order some new molds from Hirst so I can add some levitating obelisks. Those would be pretty sweet.

@ rodgers37 - LOL! Sorry but no. I used to be a GW staffer years ago. If GW is getting sales off my painting, I'm not seeing one red cent.

~Small Update~

I built a unit of those horrible skeletal archers last night. I hate them so...

I was think that your archers could have been the VC skellies with the TK archer arms, the arms themselves are not really that bad, infact they are quite detailed and better proportioned.

Good to see you again SoI! I'll be lurking this thread often...

@ Lint - Greetings! The Necrosphinx got me going and I can't seem to stop! It's awesome!

~UPDATE - Skeleton Unit Complete!~

This sucker took a while to get done but the results are quite appealing! I was unsure last night while on the red stage but once one was finished I was really glad. Two units now done so I can reward myself with painting a character or to 2. (Do your units first or your army will never get done…)

Next on the block will be the Dais Priest, Necrotect, and Dais Guard.







More to come as I progress.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Man do those skellies look nice with spears, pity so few use them. Your rocking paint job helps of course Helluva unit filler too, definitely looks the part being escorted into battle by the dead guys.

- Salvage

~Update~






My Casket of Souls conversion is now complete! I’m calling it a Black Dais until I can come up with a better title. I like this conversion a lot but I see room for improvement and will likely revisit this model in the future (The rear pillars are not working for me…)

The priest came out ok. Not tops for a character but definitely tabletop quality.





I finished the Necrotect last night. He painted up really quickly and I like this version better then the one they currently have in the rulebook.

Since it’s raining again I’ll have to wait a day or so for the humidity to clear up so I can varnish my completed units and get some more stuff primed. In the meantime I guess I have to start on these pieces of crap…



Shawn G. (SoI)

Looking awesome. I dont like the circular pillars either. I think something like at the end of the movie The Fifth Element, with the triangular stones on top of pedestals would maybe look cooler? or an upsidedown pyramid on a rectangular pillar. I Really love the obsidian also =)

@ S'Jet - I may pull out the Super Sculpy this weekend and see what I can create. I'll likely have to build another dais as those pillars are glued all the way down and removing them will ruin the paint job.

I also plan on buying some more Egyptian molds from Hirst Molds this weekend. Molds 93, 94, and 96-98 are giving me countless ideas. When I get them all I'll revisit the Dais and I should be able to come up with some thing appropriate.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Hey Shawn, I was an avid watcher of your TK Necro Sphinx P-log. Gorgeous work and I like the colors you chose... over the original one from GW... I should have commented then, but I'm happy to have the chance to watch your actual TK army grow now.

I had a question about the black pyramid stuff- what did you use for it? And is the the paint or texture that gives it the slight sheen?

I'm sure I'll have more questions to ask you when I formally start up my PH Thousand Sons and their egyptian theme... keep it up- this is definitely fuel to inspire my own Egyptian madness!

@ HF Izanagi - Glad you liked it! The pyramid pieces come from one of the Hirst Arts molds. I got it years ago, back in 02' I think, when I was painting this army before. I cast them up using black resin from Smooth On. They look real nice with some slight highlighting and a coat of gloss varnish.

I mean to pick up a more over the next few weeks.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Nice paint work, I specifically like the way you do fabric. Keep it up!

~BIG Update!~

It’s been a hectic last few days! First of all I got my TK book in on Thursday and as soon as I cracked the cover I noticed something I didn’t see before that gave ideas! (more on this in a sec).

First up is I finished that unit of Skeletal Archers. I hate to admit it, but they look pretty good with a decent paintjob. I would prefer newer models, but these can suffice. Hell, knowing me I’ll end up loving them in the end…




Now about that idea I had. There is a little hieroglyph on the bottom middle of the first illustration in the TK book that spawned a slew of ideas for me. It has been pointed out that I like floating stuff (And I do! Big whoop, wanna fight about it?), here is a prototype of a Heirotitan that stemmed from the ideas that took root: The Conduit.






My idea was this was made of stone cut from the black stone of Nagash’s Pyramid like the casket conversion I made. Floating over the battlefield it acts as a focus for Liche Priest magic as well as throwing curses of it’s own. While I like it this concept and it fits in nicely with my army scheme, it needs work on several levels. First it does not give off the “AHHH! Monster!” vibe it needs to. Second being that it has no real facing (I marked the base to show the front). It function till I get the elements I need. I’ll be picking up 3 Warsphinx kits today.

It was built using blocks from my pyramid and another Hirst Mold (#56). The top is held aloft via rare earth magnets (REM). Unfortunately I had a resin mishap and the mold got ruined. I have it soaking in degreaser at the moment and will upgrade to mineral spirits if this fails.

Now for some weird stuff. I’m a tad compulsive. So when I do something I feel driven to go all the way. So this is my dice cup. XD







The Necrosphinx planted a serious painting seed and when I gave into it the first thing I needed was an appropriate dice cup. My first idea was for a large canopic jar and I found a few really nice ones the problem is they were all either too large or too narrow to hold the sea of dice I intended to pour into my foes’ units. Then I found this beauty on Amazon. It’s called a ‘Bronze Scrab Box’ encase you want one for yourselves.

With some slight modification using some REMs I have the lid significantly secured. I love this thing so much I had to get matching dice. Did I mention I was compulsive?

Yesterday we had a 1000pt vet night tourney at the hobby shop and I decided to use my new TK. I had a BLAST and won Best Army and these were my prize! I can’t wait to paint these bad boys up!



Lastly, he’s home. And mine. I was given him last night along with the Stalkers. I was so happy I almost squee’d




Squee
Intransitive verb
1. A noise primarily made by an over-excited fangirl, however it has spread rapidly and is now widely spread among the web community.
2. A random ecstatic exclamation
Retrieved from Urban Dictionary.

Shawn G. (SoI)

Does this mean you're going to put the finishing touches on the sphinx? I recall you being pressed for time and not being entirely satisfied with him.

Lucky you! Lucky us for getting to see him (and the stalkers) finished beautifully! What are you going to do about his base now? It doesnt really match up with the rest. You could cover it in sand, leaving patches of the flagstone showing through?

Those skelly archers look rerally nice as well. Such a good paintjob really does make you ignore the inherent flaws of the models.

I'm glad i came back to see what else you have done.The whole job is shaping up excellently and i can't wait to see what you pull off on those snake things(i forget the name and im too tired to go look lol).Keep it up mate.

Gotta say, those Hirst molds are really adding to your army theme. Loving the dice box =p Glad to see the sphinx returned to your hands also (just read your entire sphinx thread). It's really beautiful. You say your getting 3 of them? lol. Will you paint the stalkers up a similar way?