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Lets start at the beginning, despite being an odd place for me to begin.

Several months ago i wanted to make a guard force, a big push on a unique force. I picked krieg, despite owning only two models to with. when i broke down the budget i realised it was out of mine.... so i was forced to re-think my schemes. Dan Abnett to the rescue, as i was entering my two yearly cycle of reading the ghost novels. what struct me in the early books was the force of zoica... it's mass produced chaos zombie feeling. It seems an easy force to build, especially given that i could swap in an old box of forgeworld renegades i got for a double list i never used.

Enough backstory, on to the log. I wanted to create a narrative force going beyond the siege of vervunhive, and Sek (who's word drowns out all others) gave me a window. I justify my forces present format with the notion of a tithe of bodies in return for helping Heritor Astphodel corrupt ferozica and getting him in to imperial lines. with seks will bent on creating a military force based on the blood pact i let regiments of zoica become a proto-sons. It also meant i could play with the nature of them. Long story short, i have a lore that allows some of the units you will see.

In picture order, the command squad led by Demigaur Hezrok. My first AT70 Reaver. Test models for the Zoican's and my hellblade count as vedetta in progress.












Now for thought board session. I want some kind of titanic monstrostiy in my force, i originally debated the siege crabs from the novels but the design and building would be a chore to do. I also wanted a 'count as' walker incase any forces get an interesting one i can ally with.

Here is the art for what i want... A woe machine.




I am not going to make it exact.... i just don't have that level of patience and time. However i want to get close.... so keep your eyes peeled. I'd welcome suggestions though if anyone can think of an appropriate base model besides the defiler.

-skrall

Now for the update. Heres my project so far.... paint is spreading like a virus, though i have 3 core troops to remodel and a chimera to corrupt. I've also recovered an old baneblade and made some small modifications.







thoughts? nothing finished yet, including the flyer base in progress.

-skrall

This is a cool idea, I've always loved those novels. The flyer base with the dissolving body is a nice touch.

Interested to see where you go with this and what you do with that walker concept.

Whoa. I was just thinking about doing something like this for a Guard army someday.

Really like what you've done so far. I think it captures Zoica remarkably well. It's got a lot of character to it, so if a narrative force was your goal, well done indeed.

 Sheep wrote:
This is a cool idea, I've always loved those novels. The flyer base with the dissolving body is a nice touch.

Interested to see where you go with this and what you do with that walker concept.

Really got no idea how i'm going to do it.... it's one of those 'one day in a dream i resloved it' type builds.

 Seaward wrote:
Whoa. I was just thinking about doing something like this for a Guard army someday.

Really like what you've done so far. I think it captures Zoica remarkably well. It's got a lot of character to it, so if a narrative force was your goal, well done indeed.

Thanks man, i'm hoping to add more narrative and references yet, including some conscripts in sons of sek green.


Now for some paint in progress. I've been fiddling here and there, and i've started to get carried away a bit. I'm loving this so far, but a tank this size is taking some serious painting. This is just a rough advancement, a keen eye will spot i've left alot of rough detailing and unpainted pieces all over the tank.






Feedback welcomed of course,

-skrall

Always had a soft spot for the Zoicans... Keep this coming along, it's looking great.

Nearly a year has passed since i began Project Zoica. Lots of miniatures have passed through my hands and into other armies... but zoica has remained. The foul corruption has finaly resurfaced itself. About six weeks ago I began an effort to lose around 100-140lbs. This week i'm on a juicing fast in order to reset my pallet away from crappy foods, and it's working. So far i've lost 16lbs since starting the new regime, but as i'm in day 3 of the current juicing fast it feels like withdrawal. It's pretty nasty feeling the addiction to food, so what i'm doing feels like it might have good long term affects on my diet.

Anywho, the first tank I made has been painted;






Before i show the group shot, this is my army list for the next few games;

Armoured List wrote:

HQ;
Command Tank, leman russ vanquisher, beast hunter shells, extra armour, heavy bolters, Artificer hull,
235pts

Elite;

Troops;
Leman Russ
150pts
Leman Russ
150pts
Leman Russ Executioner heavy bolters
210pts
Thunderer
140pts
Thunder
140pts

Fast Attack;
Vulture gunship, Twin-linked punisher cannon
155pts

Heavy Support;

Lord of War;
Praetor Armoured Assault Launcher, 2x lascannon
320pts

total; 1500pts

Because this army was put together last night i've had to go scrumping for units. There's a few short term proxies... a paper thunderer and a vulture made of out valkyrie with hades autocannons magnetised on, but it'll do the job until i can buy the missing models.



This should be a fun list to play, not least of all because screw scoring!

-skrall

Hi Skrall, good luck with the armoured company, I love the way you weather your vehicles. I hope you can keep this up.

Also 140lbs, thats more than 50kg, right?

Closer to 65kgs, good luck mate, thats alot to shift, but 16 pounds in 3 days is an epic start!

The Ferozoica idea is one that I have always wanted to see realised since reading Necropolis, look forward to seeing the crab tanks and the sutured mouths and eyes of the guardsmen

IronBars wrote:
Hi Skrall, good luck with the armoured company, I love the way you weather your vehicles. I hope you can keep this up.

Also 140lbs, thats more than 50kg, right?

Close to 63 i believe.

 Sheep wrote:
Closer to 65kgs, good luck mate, thats alot to shift, but 16 pounds in 3 days is an epic start!

The Ferozoica idea is one that I have always wanted to see realised since reading Necropolis, look forward to seeing the crab tanks and the sutured mouths and eyes of the guardsmen

It's only 3lbs in 2 days, the 5lb mark as of this morning. The rest were done during my slow build up to this week's full effort. Given it's a long haul process to shift that much weight without being left with a crap load of skin i'm doing it step by step.

As for Zoica, yeah i do plan to get towards all the interesting stuff once i have a core force, but for now i'm sticking with adapted armour, FW enforcer tank crew (I believe theres a vague mention to less zombie like soilders in the ranks of the ochre horde). I don't know where it will end now i've begun the process of collecting tanks again, last time i started i managed to get 10 inside about 3 weeks.... glory be the dark gods of armour!

Anyway, Project Zoica continues today. I've continued to build up the first thunderer, built up the other two tanks with small details that will improve them and found a 4th hull. If i can find a spare turret it shall become a leman russ, otherwise it may well turn into a second thunderer.



-skrall

Loving the converted thunderer tank in those photos. Looking forward to seeing some more infantry as well

Young Logan

That Thunderer is look good. Your using a tube tool for those greenstuff tubes?

Thanks guys!

@iron; i'm using two combs from a pound shop. it achieves the safe effect if they are fine enough.

I'm pushing on even on my birthday;



3 tanks with all the basics done, now i can spend the day painting them up to standard. that, or finish building the last two.

Zoica rises!

-skrall

So its time for the next two painted models to show up. Not often i say this, but i'm quite proud of them. I love the dull dusty and gritty effects that i've achieved. I've updated the AT70 to bring it into line with the next two, the Executioner and thunderer. Overall i'm happy with the result;










over all, this could be a pretty interesting tank army.

-skrall

Mister Abnett does have a way of inspiring his readers. Haven't read the Ghosts novels yet, definitely want to though. This army takes me back to the days of LatD for some reason, and that is a good thing. Eye of Terror was great fun.

The tanks look awesome. Definitely a fan of the Punisher Vulture. Can't wait for more

Ooh shiny tanks....well, dirty, grimy and dusty tanks actually, but you get the idea.

Nice build on the Thunderer, and love the AT70

Skrall: 2 combs to make tubes? You then roll a string of greenstuff beween them (after is stops being sticky) and it gives you the tube effect? I've been putting of getting a tube tool because of the cost. Might give this a try.

I love the agressive profile of that thunderer.

Yes this is awesome. More Dan Abnett, MOAR.

Ahem.

Nice work on the miniatures. The paintjob looks very good. I'm subbed

Xysis wrote:
Mister Abnett does have a way of inspiring his readers. Haven't read the Ghosts novels yet, definitely want to though. This army takes me back to the days of LatD for some reason, and that is a good thing. Eye of Terror was great fun.

The tanks look awesome. Definitely a fan of the Punisher Vulture. Can't wait for more

God i miss that book. I'm glad forgeworld is bringing out its new chaos book in the summer.

IronBars wrote:
Skrall: 2 combs to make tubes? You then roll a string of greenstuff beween them (after is stops being sticky) and it gives you the tube effect? I've been putting of getting a tube tool because of the cost. Might give this a try.

I love the agressive profile of that thunderer.

One on the desk, GS between it and the second. keep it damp to stomp it sticking, once it starts to roll between the two it works out great. Thanks mate, the second one is actually even more RAAARG than the first.

 Scrazza wrote:
Yes this is awesome. More Dan Abnett, MOAR.

Ahem.

Nice work on the miniatures. The paintjob looks very good. I'm subbed

Then the next expansion to this log will give you a fix...


Time for todays update. All of the tanks are now built, my vulture is on the way from forgeworld and Gaur himself has dispatched 25 members of his 'blood pact' to re-enforce the Zoican armoured forces. So time for some photo's, the army is now in a position for me to whittle away the evening trying to complete three more russes.



-skrall

Very very nice. Saw the title and as a few ghosts fan keep up the good work.

Dont know your financial situation but a brass scorpion might make a good crab.

@Leth; the brass rules might work, but the design's not quite what i have in mind. i may end up using it in the future if i can grab a second hand one off ebay but i've got a few other more demanding projects which limit my freedom to buy super heavies.

Time for the event for this evening. To my own surprise i've managed to get four more tanks done today and so i've got most of my army completed. I've dropped the praetor for the short term in favour of a hellhound and avenger fighter.








I've got some touch ups to do, as well as when i next take photo's remembering to move the hellhounds barrel so its not slanted. Ahhh the joys of not looking close enough when taking pictures. Still, i'm happy with the progress. Next up, asides from said touch ups, is the avenger and if it arrives in time the Vulture.

-skrall

Hello folks! It's been a while since i updated this. I've been working on fantasy/quest for the past few weeks but i've aquired the next expansion. Not including the models thus far here's the new stuff;



Plenty to be getting on with...

-skrall

Right you louzy lot, the zoican forces have come to liberate your world from the cruel tyranny of the Emperor. With them is the famous liberator and world saver Etogaur Nhzerek, who has been attached to to ensure the safety of the....

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!






I've been painting like a man possesed for an apoc next weekend. In 3 days i have painted approximately 1500-2000pts of chaos armour. You'll be seeing it in a family photo in the next few days. Let us just leave it with the blood pact tank...

-skrall

That sure is a bloody tank.

haha thanks warboss!

So i wasn't kidding when i said i was working on painting all of my tanks. In 5 days i've painted 10 tanks (including the blood pact one) to a complete or near complete standard. With the exception of the last minute turret change on the final image i've got it all to a standard i'm happy with for now ready for saturday. So sit back, get a drink and enjoy a lovely scroll through the image-fest.

















Did we enjoy that...? Just one turret left before saturday. Zoica rises!

-skrall

Excellent tracks and conversions!

Good going Skrall...averaging two tanks a day is pretty impressive

Look good too

Wow. This blog rocks. You're take on the Zoican forces is excellent.

I'm a fan of the Gaunt's Ghosts series and Necropolis is easily my favourite of the series. So yeah, this stuff is right up my alley.

thanks for the compliments guys! It's about time i get back to this project.

Zoica returns....



-skrall

Awesome. Excellent job on the light support.