First of all allow me to clarify. This title has caused much consternation elsewhere with people wishing me well and hoping I get better. So, to clarify I do not have any sort of terminal illness so I am not likely to keel over any time soon. What I do have can be described as a Kitchen Sink's worth of stuff to the point where my house just has....STUFF everywhere.
So why Dakka? Well, simply put elsewhere was just downright hostile. Little activity, not very welcoming and ultimately very catty about all sorts of things. That and my friends had abandoned the place a good while ago so it was a bit like a creepy ghost town. Then, while browsing at work (and trying to find things NOT blocked) I stumbled across your gallery. And then your forum. Well worth it. The threads have life and the P&M Blogs also had life. The way forward indeed!
So to start our tale, first let us start of with me. I am an American, stranded in England the past 17 years and currently working as a full time schmuck taking calls for local government. It's not a fun job. I've learned to hate people as they can be ultimately stupid. But it pays bills and that's all I ask. And when I was a young boy, so many years ago a friend of mine brought a copy of White Dwarf to school. Damn those Salamanders. They hooked me. Those lovely acid spitting dinosaurs with tiny Skink attendants....
Naturally I couldn't escape that. I was hooked on Lizardmen. And so money was redirected into them with much pleading from parents. And this hobby continued on. And on. And on. And when I had a significant amount of money....I....er...spent it. So with my other friend who spent to his heart's content we made a deal - Every 1000 points of stuff painted is £50 that could be spent on stuff later on. That way we could actually tackle our mountains of plastic, metal and resin.
I present my mug. It is certainly a mug. Even with a pirate hat. I am also less fuzzy now as well.
So what do I have to paint? Well, we could start listing. I think we will. With photos. You will have noticed the signature. This is by no means all painted. That is the end goal. There is also fluff behind all of these. That will come up later when I have time to type the omni thread. For now you get a list with me saying if it's WIP or finished. And of course the stuff that's finished is not all finished as in many cases I have to finish banners, paint icons and all sorts of niggly little things.
The Imperial Paladins - Loyalist Space Marines
I will confess now that the idea behind these chaps was for their armour to be all mixed and some of it quite ornate - hence the use of the odd Chaos piece here and there as painted right they look antique and even the leering gargoyles look more gothic than evil.
Lord-Captain Artos - Chaos Lord - Daemon Weapon, Bolt Pistol - COMPLETE
The Reavers - 9 Chosen Chaos Marines - Champion with Lightning Claws, 2 Power Fists, 2 Meltaguns, Icon
Squad Tybar - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns, Icon
Squad Tylar - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns, Icon
Squad Khatar - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Weapon, Heavy Bolter, Flamer, Icon - COMPLETE
Squad Lucis - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Weapon, Heavy Bolter, Flamer, Icon - WIP Squad Marix - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Weapon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun, Icon - COMPLETE
Squad Matas - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Weapon, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun, Icon - COMPLETE
The Soulfeasters - 10 Chaos Raptors - Champion with LCs, 2 Meltaguns, Icon
The Soulpyre - 10 Chaos Raptors - Champion with Power Weapon, 2 Flamers, Icon
Squad Boros - 10 Chaos Havocs - Champion with Power Fist, 4 Heavy Bolters, Icon
Squad Andras - 10 Chaos Havocs - Champion with Power Weapon and Plasma Pistol, 2 LCs, 2 Missile Launchers, Icon
Venerable Martiel - Chaos Dreadnought - Twin Lascannons - WIP The Bound - Chaos Dreadnought - Twin Autocannons
4th Company
Soulfeaster - Daemon Prince
5th Company
Lord Cythrani - Chaos Lord - Jump Pack, Daemon Weapon, Bolt Pistol
The Etherdrinkers - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, Lascannon, Plasma Gun, Icon
Squad Lyria - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, Lascannon, Plasma Gun, Icon
Squad Myria - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Icon
The Dreambreakers - 10 Chaos Marines - Champion with Power Fist, Autocannon, Flamer, Icon
The Foresight - 10 Possessed - Champion, Icon
Squad Hala - 5 Chaos Bikes - Champion with Power Fist, Flamer, Icon
Hala's Hound - 5 Chaos Bikes - Champion with Power Weapon, 2 Meltaguns, Icon
6th Company
Prince Aros - Daemon Prince - Wings, Mark of Slaanesh
Other Companies and Sections
Kharn the Betrayer
Lucius the Eternal
Ahriman
Fabius Bile
Cypher
Chaos Sorcerer - Terminator Armour, Combi Melta
Chaos Sorcerer - Terminator Armour
Chaos Sorcerer - Wings
Chaos Sorcerer
10 Khorne Berserkers - Champion with Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol - COMPLETE
8 Khorne Berserkers - Champion with Power Weapon
9 Thousand Sons - Sorcerer
5 Chaos Marines - COMPLETE
3 Obliterators
Defiler - Reaper, Extra CC Weapon - WIP Predator - Twin LCs, LC Sponsons
3 Vindicators
5 Rhinos
3 Chaos Spawn
The Extinction Angels to date.
The complete Chaos Lord
V Click for WIP Background Development V
Spoiler:
Extinction Angels Notes - Basic background and development
* Renegade Chapter - uses a 'corrupted' Imperial Chapter structure.
* Renegades as of M.34 - Mix of recent armour patterns and older, scavenged armour patterns. Some armour has corrupted - this explains the presence of some of the older or more exotic patterns.
*Unaligned - Worship of particular Chaos Powers is at the discretion of the Company Leader. Some companies have become wholly Cult based, others are largely undivided or unaligned.
1st Company - The Gloried, Veteran Company - Led by Lord Captain Syteros (Chaos Lord) - Unaligned, squads free to worship as they please
2nd Company - The Wrath, Battle Company - Led by The Void Fleshed (Daemon Prince) - Undivided, elements of Khorne
3rd Company - The Sanctified, Battle Company - Led by Lord Captain Artos (Chaos Lord) - Undivided, 'rogue' elements of Slaanesh
4th Company - The Reborn, Battle Company - Led by Soulfeaster (Daemon Prince) - Undivided, elements of Khorne, 'rogue' elements of Nurgle. NOTE: This company has a high number of Possessed
5th Company - Malice, Battle Company - Led by Lord Cythrani (Chaos Lord) - Slaanesh, elements of Undivided, 'rogue' elements of Tzeentch
6th Company - Innocence Consumed, Tactical Reserve Company - Led by Prince Aros (Daemon Prince) - Slaanesh. Corrupted company is predominantly Noise Marines and Slaanesh cult marines.
7th Company - The Festering, Tactical Reserve Company - Led by Bile Priest Kurn (Daemon Prince) - Nurgle. Corrupted company is predominantly Plague Marines and Tzeentch cult marines.
8th Company - The Gorefeasters, Assault Reserve Company - Led by Captain Tarik (Kharn the Betrayer counts-as) - Khorne. Corrupted company is predominantly Berserkers and Khorne cult marines.
9th Company - Obliteration, Devastator Reserve Company - Led by Magister Numinos (Chaos Sorcerer) - Tzeentch. Predominantly Tzeentch cult marines.
10th Company - Glory Seekers, Scout Company - No Leader. Scout company destroyed with initial defection - now consists of squads and warbands from different chapters and legions all vying for favour.
So I got to thinking about how the Extinction Angels operate.
Obviously I have 9 Companies - the 10th company is effectively dissolved and consists of members of smaller warbands, strays from other Legions and chapters and the like - this is the recruitment process. Find favour and a sponsor and they join the Company of their sponsor. I see many of these ragtags being shamed or dishonoured in some way - others perhaps seeking a quicker route to power in a force that does not adhere to millenia of Legion based structure.
Not all these companies should be full strength - as wyomingfox has pointed out. Supplies will run down, infighting and conflict will dwindle their numbers. And of course I have to consider the role of daemons within the Extinction Angels. I see similarities with the Night Lords - Daemons are generally disregarded or shunned. In the corrupted Companies daemons may be more favoured but in the hard-line Undivided companies, or ones where there is freedom to worship as you will (the 1st) I can see Daemons being seen as lesser. If anything binding Daemons and the like seems more a way to supplement forces and counteract weakness. The 4th company is an example of this - with a high number of possessed. I will probably build them to about 60% of their original strength with the majority being possessed - having undergone the rituals out of desperation and possibly admiration of their Captain who had ascended stronger than before.
The Chapter Master will be an example of this 'daemons are weak' viewpoint. I will keep him strictly Mortal, armed with suitable weapons (as an Abaddon counts-as) and pretty much envision him as having cheated the powers by binding the Daemons to his weapons and just siphoning off their power to keep himself strong and revitalised. I see him as being cunning rather than charismatic.
So, in order - the idea of the company strength is as follows.
1st company - 55% original strength
2nd company - 70% original strength
3rd company - 100% original strength
4th company - 60% original strength
5th company - 100% original strength
6th company - 75% original strength
7th company - 70% original strength
8th company - 40% original strength
9th company - 90% original strength
10th company - dissolved
The companies with Daemon Princes (2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th) are clearly weaker. The 1st company seems weak but that's because they'll have purged ALL the loyallists and are quite fractured in structure now and the 8th company...well..it's Khornate. Let's not pretend they don't lop off their own heads when it's quiet.
From the fluff the Extinction Angels are based around the Eye of Terror. And specialise in fighting in confined spaces - city fighting and I'm thinking rapid insertion tactics.
I picture them having tenuous alliances with the Alpha Legion and other Renegades and a particularly antagonistic relationship with more dedicated or pious Legions or chapters.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Daemons
Great Unclean One
Epidemius
7 Plaguebearers
7 Nurgling Bases
7 Nurgling Bases
Beast of Nurgle
Soulgrinder
Yeah, not as impressive but I've traded some of them off for other things so this is what's left.
The Blighted Brigade of Screaming Lord Billy
This was my first 40k army. I keep them about out of love.
Nice work - glad to hear you are not dying (well, at least no faster than the rest of us).
the volume of models is impessive too - looking forward to the Death Guard (FW models are always win).
You should be able to avoid hostilities here, but remember - it is the internet, and cattiness abounds! I do find these forums pretty friendly tho, mainly by the prompt actions of our lords/moderators.
There will be more stuff following. But to let people reply now....
I've gone for madness and signed up for not 1 but 2 Tale of Many Gamer things this summer from July onwards - with my Dark Elves (to get to 3,000 points from nothing in 6 months) and my Eldar (to get to 1750 in 6 months at the same time).
Liking the scheme for your nids! and the greens on your Nurgle army are a really nice shade and blended well in keeping with the theme, the sorceror is my favorite you've done so far! I can't believe just how many points worth you've got! crazy!
@darkkt - The volume is a lot, eh? Hence the title. I'm glad I'm not dying too.
The Death Guard stuff will be in a few months time most likely - after all my other initial projects. I'm going to do them special. They're going to be my Armies on Parade entry for next year as well as parts of my Golden Daemon entries. The hat alas is not mine. It belongs to my local GW manager who is a good friend. That photo is from us all being silly after work (for all of us) and playing Guitar Hero wearing silly hats.
@nerdfest09 - I'm proud of that 'nid scheme. It's a modified one from the WD when the washes were released. Easy and quick but my god so mind numbing in numbers! With regard to the Nurgle stuff? That's my old, OLD stuff. The sorcerer turned out well for how simple it was. Without doing a step by step (as the scheme is basically old and the army retired apart from Apoc games) - Layered Dark Angels Green, Bestial Brown, Snot Green, Goblin Green, Sunburst Yellow, Bleached Bone, Snakebite Leather 'patches' and then 2 washes of Dark Green Ink and one of Chestnut Ink.
Someone doesn't have a wife . Anyways, four painted armies is something to be proud of. Now you need to start snapping more close up shots of individual models and/or squads. I like what you did with Typhus, great job layering the greens.
wyomingfox wrote: Anyways, four painted armies is something to be proud of.
Four?
Oh no. There's more. And there will be even more. (I need help. Please. Send help!) That was all I had time to type up this morning before work. There's still the Lizardmen, the Eldar, the Dark Elves, the Skaven and my friends Inquisition and Sisters of Battle to put pics up of.
I do need to get more close ups. I will get on that likely this weekend.
Now to have a much needed break from work. I may even start assembling something and continue on the Dark Elves a bit.
First a WIP shot of some Dark Elves. Nothing special really. Armour wash still to follow - going to be multiple Badab Black washes, maybe one Thraka Green. There's a lot of metal on these buggers though!
I suppose I should explain more here.
As mentioned earlier I've been insane enough to sign up for not one but two Tale of Many Gamers campaigns at my local GCN club - one for Fantasy and one for 40k.
The rules are as follows.
Fantasy - 500 points the first month, must include a hero and core. No big uniques/monsters/etc in Month 1! Then 500 points a month to a total of 3,000, following proper percentages from Month 2 onwards.
40k - 500 points the first month, must include a HQ and Troop and 1 Elite/Fast Attack/Heavy Support. Then 250 points a month to a total of 1,750, following Force Org from Month 2 onwards.
So for Fantasy I will be painting...
Month 1 - Dark Elves
Sorceress
16 Crossbowmen with Full Command
10 Spearmen with Full Command
Repeater Bolt Thrower
For 40k...
Month 1 - Eldar
Autarch
10 Dire Avengers - Exarch with Twin Shuricats
Wave Serpent - Twin Shuriken Cannons
6 Fire Dragons - Exarch with Firepike
But wait, I've sorted more out!
Whatever could this be for, eh?
(Now I just have to find a spare Terminator Storm Bolter to gut for the ammo case.
I like how it looks. Unsure whether to add another black wash and then the green or to just go straight to the green. Any opinions? Should I go darker before tinting or tint to see the effect?
Looks pretty good so far. Might want to do something to break the different metals apart....like adding another black or brown wash to only some of the armour.
I'm considering a green tarnish and will be highlighting over the wash on the edges either way. Hmm. Perhaps another black wash on the chainmail to darken it a bit more?
Update!
Second picture is way too dark.
One on the left has a second black wash on the chainmail and a green wash on the metal.
One on the right has a second black wash all over and a green wash on the metal again.
Concerned the second one just drowns out the green.
Edit: God my keyboard looks awful.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Just an update - need feedback folks on which is better of the two.
Well, so far wyomingfox you're the only one to say! And the darker recesses do seem to make more of a difference (and will probably be better to edge highlight to boot.)
Update: In the end wyomingfox made the decision. Have finished black washing the Spear-elves and waiting for that to dry before doing the green and highlights, then I can go onto robes and flesh.
Camera batteries are dying - boooooo.
And then I have to find and set aside a few boxes to pack things into - one lot of bits for the swap shop, my Delaques for weety and then I have to find one suitable for Brother Anton there.
Thraka Green wash. Tints it just enough. Figured that Dark elves don't exactly have pure silvery armour. Having the Realm of Chaos in your back garden probably taints things a little, especially when you decide dark magic is a good idea too.
Ah. No green involved whatsoever. The green brought about by a 10 pm photo in less than optimal lighting conditions!
Automatically Appended Next Post: One more thing! I've not been doing nothing. Will try to see if I can get photos up today but it might be tomorrow as the camera's batteries are dying and tomorrow is payday.
Have done the metal on the first 10 DE Spearmen and started on the robes.
Also got distracted from what I -should- be painting (Dire Avengers for my Eldar) and started something else... a Wave Serpent. Yellow's not 'smooth' up close but sort of matches with its odd appearance.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Update time folks!
First, some more work done on the Dark Elves as promised - quite happy with how they're turning out and now just need to twig the cloth to make it mesh (it's supposed to be dark green.) I expect the pale skin tones to help break the overall effect up and will probably try to do the belts and wrapping in a pale grey-white as well.
Only 16 Crossbowmen, the Repeater Bolt Thrower and the Sorceress to go for the first 500 points after this!
I will confess I allowed myself to get distracted as well. I started on my Eldar and as said, rather than focusing on the Dire Avengers I decided to play a bit with the Wave Serpent.
Not too happy with it.
The yellow isn't turning out 'smooth'. The paint itself is quite rough. From a distance it works but up close....it feels rough.
Might do a mix of varnish and sepia wash to try and smooth it over as well as blend it all together at the end.
Note: This is only half done!
And for those wondering about Finecast?
Well, as well as helping the store play with and put together its display model from the list of what they were allowed to have (we chose Azhag - my god there's a lot of flash to clean, greenstuffing to get joints to match....) I did end up being given something by a friend who bought something else.
For me this is a HUGE plus.
The Autarch's reaper launcher...
It's round!
Every metal version I've seen has had the mold mismatched and come out flat or unusable but this? Perfectly round!
Payday tomorrow - time to buy more paints and batteries. As well as get stuff packed up to post off to weety and others.
Just a quick update - I ain't dead! Need to get a few things sorted today to post stuff out tomorrow or at the weekend.
Plans for tonight? Work more on Eldar and Dark Elves.
Do a Finecast review of a Lictor - yes, I folded and got a lictor, simply because I was curious to see how the only model I can think of that has had a 50p price rise in about 15 years came out. (The 2nd edition lictors were £15!!)
Really liking the wave serpent. The color scheme is sharp. In regards to creating a smooth finish, your best bet is to put a layer of testors dull coat over the area. It is a thick varnish and tends to go over surfaces well.
What I have decided to start posting here is the background and development stuff for my Extinction Angels, especially as I'm switching the Eldar out for them due to common sense - why use this opportunity to paint a smaller, side-army when I've got a far larger force that needs some love?
What makes this even better is that there is next to no established background for the Extinction Angels - the only bit mentioned is the fact that they were involved in the Eye of Terror campaign (so presumably are based in the Eye of Terror) and are currently giving the Black Templars as good as they get in tunnel fighting on a hive world - to me this suggests city fighting being an area of expertise. Or at the very least tunnel fighting.
Extinction Angels Notes - Basic background and development
* Renegade Chapter - uses a 'corrupted' Imperial Chapter structure.
* Renegades as of M.34 - Mix of recent armour patterns and older, scavenged armour patterns. Some armour has corrupted - this explains the presence of some of the older or more exotic patterns.
*Unaligned - Worship of particular Chaos Powers is at the discretion of the Company Leader. Some companies have become wholly Cult based, others are largely undivided or unaligned.
1st Company - The Gloried, Veteran Company - Led by Lord Captain Syteros (Chaos Lord) - Unaligned, squads free to worship as they please
2nd Company - The Wrath, Battle Company - Led by The Void Fleshed (Daemon Prince) - Undivided, elements of Khorne
3rd Company - The Sanctified, Battle Company - Led by Lord Captain Artos (Chaos Lord) - Undivided, 'rogue' elements of Slaanesh
4th Company - The Reborn, Battle Company - Led by Soulfeaster (Daemon Prince) - Undivided, elements of Khorne, 'rogue' elements of Nurgle. NOTE: This company has a high number of Possessed
5th Company - Malice, Battle Company - Led by Lord Cythrani (Chaos Lord) - Slaanesh, elements of Undivided, 'rogue' elements of Tzeentch
6th Company - Innocence Consumed, Tactical Reserve Company - Led by Prince Aros (Daemon Prince) - Slaanesh. Corrupted company is predominantly Noise Marines and Slaanesh cult marines.
7th Company - The Festering, Tactical Reserve Company - Led by Bile Priest Kurn (Daemon Prince) - Nurgle. Corrupted company is predominantly Plague Marines and Nurgle cult marines.
8th Company - The Gorefeasters, Assault Reserve Company - Led by Captain Tarik (Kharn the Betrayer counts-as) - Khorne. Corrupted company is predominantly Berserkers and Khorne cult marines.
9th Company - Obliteration, Devastator Reserve Company - Led by Magister Numinos (Chaos Sorcerer) - Tzeentch. Predominantly Tzeentch cult marines.
10th Company - Glory Seekers, Scout Company - No Leader. Scout company destroyed with initial defection - now consists of squads and warbands from different chapters and legions all vying for favour.
Of course any GMS Chaos Marines will be going into the Glory Seekers. I just liked the idea of a rag tag company of strays.
Wow. That many armies to paint? I thought my Necrons were a lot to paint...
(I am in grief. I glued the green rods on, and decided to change my color scheme, so I undercoated the rods black also. Please, is it possible to acheive the same effect as before? Help!)
Yes. That many armies. I have questionable sanity and I know it.
And what'd you glue the rods with? It might be worth having a look online to see if there's anyone else selling similar rods - I know there are cause I looked at it a few years back - if I ever did Necrons I would have blue glowy rods.
Alright. What some of you may have been waiting for....
Finecast Lictor Review Time!
First of all, allow me to get on a soapbox.
I chose the Lictor for a very particular reason and that is pricing. A lot of people have issues with the price increase that has come with finecast and seem to be holding that against it just as much as any concerns about quality or indeed resilience of the material and that's just not right.
When the original Lictor was released in 2nd edition it came boxed and came at a price of £10. In time that went up to £12 and by the time 3rd edition was out and rolling the Lictor cost you £15 to buy. Then along came the 3rd edition Tyranids with a new Lictor Sculpt. This Lictor came out for £10. He largely remained at £10 until 4th edition came out and the new Tyranid codex for that edition was released...with a new Lictor. A Lictor which cost £10. The last price increases saw it go up to the £12 mark and VAT over here pushed it to £12.30.
In Finecast this Lictor is £15.50
That's right. In the 15 or so years of the Lictor's existence as a unit type it has ultimately gone up in price by 50 pence. Therefore price is not really an issue.
First of all, let's see what the metal Lictor looked like. Unfortunately for this I was not prepared to dismantle him, or indeed strip him down. I'll explain why in a moment.
This metal model originally came in a blister. The model had tabs of metal and the odd sliver of flash. It's notorious for issues with assemble - particularly with those scything talons, which, if glued on in the 'traditional' way tend to have a bit too much weight for a superglue bond. I wasn't going to reassemble him because he was already enough of a pain in the backside to assemble in the first place!
Let's see what his finecast cousin comes in.
Oh look. A box. Right away this thing is like the 2nd edition ancestor - those came boxed too! The front is your standard pose affair with a bit of photoshop, a slapped on gold banding and the back at least includes the names of the colours used. Well, two of them at least. What does amuse me is the statement of This box contains a Lictor. Really? Are you sure?
In the box is a plastic container thing that we've gotted used to with boxed metals and the Lictor consists of 3 sprues. One for the body and head. One for the Scything Talons. And one for all the rest of the limbs.
First impression time.
There is a huge amount of flash on the Scything talons. That is a sea of the stuff. There are those awkward resin spines wherever there's a slighty spiky bit and some of them - mainly around the feet and the body are quite chunky - larger than the components themselves. Initially these look as though they could be a concern for cleaning up. If those were metal I'd need a hacksaw. If those were plastic I'd still likely need a saw.
There was some bubbling across it but nothing significant from what I initially saw. The worst bit was at the bottom of the torso, where he legs would go.
Looks a bit rough. Especially when you compare it to the same view or a similar one on the metal Lictor.
Metal, for all its issues doesn't bubble. Not the end of the world but it'll take GSing to fix properly. A dab of superglue will not fix that.
Now clipping it off the sprue was ridiculously easy. Remember the first impressions? Didn't need anything more than the clippers. This stuff is soft and those huge blocks of material were easy enough to remove with fingers. Off the sprue the model looks as follows.
This also allowed a better inspection of the cast as being on the sprue hid some parts from proper inspection.
Turns out there were more bubbles than I thought and cleaning up the model - which is ridiculously easy for the record- revealed yet more curious flaws.
First, the most visible and obvious issues.
As well as the under part around the waist being all bubbled there's this with the neck section. That is some wierd deformation right there. It was easy to clean up - though admittedly due to the material being soft and thankfully is hidden by where the head goes on the assembled model...but it's still disturbing. It's as though its cracked and crumbled before setting, so I ended up with a cobblestone effect in the material there.
There's also bubbles in the tail - these were obscured by the sprue when it was in place and again, these are fixable by green stuff. What I did notice is that I started to scrape the mold line away from the tail that some of the material seemed discoloured and almost hollowed out - this is true. Lo and behold, there are bubbles within the cast itself. If I had say, scraped a bit more away there would be another bubble or two for my collection.
The back carapace also has similar issues.
Notice that oddly discoloured 'rectangle'? That's another crumbled bit of sorts. Compared to the metal lictor...
Well. It's somewhat perturbing. A method of production that states to bring out sharper, more crisp detail that's smoother is actually a bit more rough than the metal counterpart.
I also decided to compare detail - with the head and the scything talons.
Now first up, the head.
There was practically no real difference there. Apart from yet more bubbles. No 'secret' details that metal couldn't fully bring out as they went on about in this month's WD. If ever there was a candidate for that is should have been the Feeder Tendrils - nadda. Not a bloody thing.
The scything talon yielded more interesting results.
Now...I don't know what to call this.
More detail? I mean, sure, the fleshy tendon bits are certainly more detailed and there is a lot more there....but that's the thing. The metal has 2 gaps. Finecast has one. Where there is a second gap you can see the tendons taut. Finecast just has a fleshy mass there. Is this a miscast? And added feature?
I'm baffled.
Overall I have to confess - Finecast is meh.
Do I appreciate the lack of weight, the ease of assembly (it reacts very well to super glue) and indeed the conversion possibilities (as I can easily cut into the legs and alter them to make this Lictor look as though leaping)? Yes. That's part of the idea with it. I can pose this lictor easier. I don't need to pin it or balance it just right to make it glue together. And it will survive tilting over.
But the detail is not more crisp - in fact the bubbles in the casting process made it worse. And this is a pattern I've observed - models with large areas of 'smooth' seem to be more vulnerable to the bubbles and miscasts. This means Marines. This means Eldar. This means Tyranids. This means Elves.
Areas with a lot of rough on them seem to get away or indeed benefit from the sharper detail - but a lot of this is lost with the base undercoat.
If I were to give the material a rating out of 10?
I'd give it a 6 at best. There are issues with heat. It doesn't seem to be casting very well. Though it is very flexible this is not a constant throughout. There are still parts that are brittle - often sharper edges.
At least I don't have to buy any more Lictors.
This fellow is my 6th, not including the 2 2nd edition ones being chopped up to make Venomthropes.
But this doesn't bode well for the other Tyranids - the Hive Guard, Tyrand Guard or Zoanthropes. Large flat smooth areas....yikes.
You Sir, are definitely running a true swarm. Just looking at the pile of bits for 20 more Genestealers on my project table I don't even want to imagine assembling 107 of them. That list of nids is truly daunting and inspiring, especially considering how many of them are painted.
Thanks for doing such a detailed review on models I actually care about and would consider buying. As I'm not a Marine player, reading the multiple reviews about the large flat areas on marines sometimes having issues meant nothing to me since Nid models tend to have much complex surfaces. Looking at your multiple detailed pics I can see that should I buy some finecost, uhh sorry... finecast models I'll make sure to open the box first. As much as I love working with GS, I'd rather keep it to a minimum so I can just dedicate my energies to conversion work rather than "repair" work.
Looking forward to getting updates regarding how long it's taking you to repair all the little details.
Thanks for the side by side comparison, DSS. It does sorta put Finecast in a better perspective. Obviously, GW is going to do whatever they can to promote this new wave, but I appreciate your user review. The only finecast I've seen done in a similiar review was with a new and old Coteaz mini and he actually looked better off in Finecast, but with this lictor.... I wonder.
Thanks for the elaborate side by side! I had been wondering myself how they would compare. I wonder if in the finecast line we'll have more inconsistency then we did with the old metal. Interesting thought.
DarkStarSabre wrote:Yes. That many armies. I have questionable sanity and I know it.
And what'd you glue the rods with? It might be worth having a look online to see if there's anyone else selling similar rods - I know there are cause I looked at it a few years back - if I ever did Necrons I would have blue glowy rods.
Just regular PVA. I have an unbuilt box of Warriors, with 12 green rods, but 20 black warriors. For now I've been painting the rods Scorpion Green, would Snot Green work better?
A 2 day bath in simple green will eat away a pva glue bond.
Automatically Appended Next Post: That was a very thorough review on the finecast model. One of the better ones I have read yet. Some local gamers have also posted up similar complaints. I happy planned on selling off a lot of my unpainted metal models: death leaper, canis, brood lord, ect so as to buy finecast alternatives...but now I am not sure.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Read you're chapter structure. I see that you are filling out all 10 companies. Quite an undertaking. Though I thought that renagade chapters tended to normally be understrength due to infighting between elements still loyal, attrition from wars with the imperium coupled with poor access to geneseed replacement , ect....though I claim no extensive knowledge what so ever. Leaving out some chapters unfilled might provide some interesting back story though. Like maybe the 9-10 company being wiped out in the original rebellion due to strong loyalties. The 3 and 4 company being combined under a surviving captain after sustaining heavy casualties in their first encounter with loyalist marine sent to snuff them out. The second company being wiped out by the first company due to an internal dispute between captains...ect.
wyomingfox wrote:A 2 day bath in simple green will eat away a pva glue bond.
Automatically Appended Next Post: That was a very thorough review on the finecast model. One of the better ones I have read yet. Some local gamers have also posted up similar complaints. I happy planned on selling off a lot of my unpainted metal models: death leaper, canis, brood lord, ect so as to buy finecast alternatives...but now I am not sure.
Yes... but how do I paint the rods to achieve the same effect? Hoping to save money in the process.
@Moltar - thanks. I wanted to be thorough with something few people would have done. It's a don't know case but I think the potential for conversion of this may outweigh the downsides of the casting. But I'd be very careful and get a good look first.
@Iceangel - it looks that way, eh? Apparantly the new batch is in some stores and the sprues themselves are different. As though GW is adapting to a learning curve on their feet.
@GiraffeX - Thanks! And don't I know it. The end results will be worth it, even if it does take time. Besides, it's watching other blogs that inspire me to get on with mine
@lipsandpips - Yes. The Lictor model in its 2nd edition and 4th edition incarnation is pretty damn beautiful. 3rd ed Lictors dropped the ball for a while but then 3rd ed nids were hit and miss across the board.
@meatman33 - I suspect the Simple green will help clear the spray from the rods as well. Thing is, if you're trying to keep consistency then you may end up having to paint -all- the rods as you won't quite accomplish the same effect without some decent blending.
@wyomingfox - And you have also discovered the nature of the 10th company. And the reason some of the god worship made its way in. The replacements come from other Legions and Chapters, much like the Red Corsairs as well as what they can manage to recruit. I'll of course play with the numbers and ideas like that. Infighting's not uncommon as I'm already figured a lot of bad blood between the 3rd and 5th Company.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
More Finecast Lictor Shenanigans
When we last left the lictor I was mildly happy with it. In short the plan for this lictor was always to convert and modify it to be somewhat more dynamic.
So with that in mind, before doing any sort of GSing I decided to test a few Finecast theories - besides, if it worked then the GSing would have to take place afterwards.
When we last left our Lictor he looked as follows.
Now, being someone who wants to pose it to be more dynamic that tail's positioning will never do. Were it metal that would require a lot of cutting, filing, GSing and smoothing to get it into a different pose as GW's metal was surprisingly (and infuriatingly) difficult to bend when it was quite thick - as in a lictor's tail.
So it's theory time. A lot of the threads out there about Finecast have commented on how heat affects it, turning it to goop and to putty, losing all the detail and so on and so forth. Well, I don't have a hair dryer. But I do have a kitchen sink. And having gotten items from Forge World before that required straightening out (hello Flying Hive Tyrant wings) I decided to test the Lictor in the same way.
Rather than soaking it I applied a common sense approach. I held it so that the base of its tail and part of the tail were under some quite hot water for about three or four minutes. Now I will say it started to feel soft, but it didn't turn to goop or spaghetti like people have been claiming.
The material paled a bit but the detail, as you can see was right there. Now what is interesting is how easy this thing was to shape. With my fingers I was able to bend and tug it, a bit at a time. And even as it lost heat it remained soft and pliable. I can see how this is a concern.
Then I remembered that another Finecast thread (up in News and Rumours) stated that putting it in the freezer set it.
In he went.
In the meantime I decided to test what complete immersion would have done. I took one of the spare sprues and proceeded to put it in to the tiny sink full of hot water while the Lictor sat in the freezer for a few minutes.
Now this was worrying. When immersed this thing became soft. I mean, really soft. The goopy spaghetti? Here it was. I took it out. I crumbled it up. One of the things they stressed was that finecast tries to return to its original form.
It tried. It failed. My advice here? If you decide to use heat or hot water to make something more pliable to be shaped? Hold it under running water in the specific places you want it to be softer. Do NOT immerse the thing. It leads to some pretty permanent warpage.
I got the lictor out.
It's set. It's solid. The tail's a bit further out than it was before and angled too. The whole sprinting/leaping lictor pose is much more acheivable like this.
But regarding heat and hot water?
Heat doesn't seem to do what people says it does. Details don't melt or dissolve. It doesn't become goop. Even when being shaped it retained the detail. But you shouldn't immerse it in a source of heat. That just is a bad plan.
Ok. No fancy photo update. Text update since I'm at work at this current moment in time and I don't think they'd be amused at me bringing in a Finecast Lictor to cut up, pose and scuplt. .
First of all, to acknowledge folks post here - thank you all! It keeps me going and the feedback is helpful - more below. I will confess that becoming part of Dakka makes me a happy man as I feel this is more a community.
@Dark_Gear - How'd I miss your response? AGH. Thank you for the compliments on the 'nids. They're not my best paint job but they are very definately a case of quantity over quality.
@meatman33 - I'm glad the snot green coat gets the effect but I'd have thought a highlight of scorpion green would help the luminescent quality of the clear plastic rods?
@wyomingfox - That seems to be the way with Finecast. No more total immersion as that can wreck it quite badly.
@lipsdapips - hope you get him soon. I'd be interested in seeing how you plan on chopping and changing him, if you plan on doing so at all! Finecast seems to lend itself nicely to conversion as weight issues aren't really there.
For now - time for more Extinction Angel fluff and planning. I blame wyomingfox in part and nerdfest for another part (Curse you for getting me back into my Renegades!) and I now am slowly piecing together background and ideas for a Dakka Campaign. Oh dear oh dear.
So I got to thinking about how the Extinction Angels operate.
Obviously I have 9 Companies - the 10th company is effectively dissolved and consists of members of smaller warbands, strays from other Legions and chapters and the like - this is the recruitment process. Find favour and a sponsor and they join the Company of their sponsor. I see many of these ragtags being shamed or dishonoured in some way - others perhaps seeking a quicker route to power in a force that does not adhere to millenia of Legion based structure.
Not all these companies should be full strength - as wyomingfox has pointed out. Supplies will run down, infighting and conflict will dwindle their numbers. And of course I have to consider the role of daemons within the Extinction Angels. I see similarities with the Night Lords - Daemons are generally disregarded or shunned. In the corrupted Companies daemons may be more favoured but in the hard-line Undivided companies, or ones where there is freedom to worship as you will (the 1st) I can see Daemons being seen as lesser. If anything binding Daemons and the like seems more a way to supplement forces and counteract weakness. The 4th company is an example of this - with a high number of possessed. I will probably build them to about 60% of their original strength with the majority being possessed - having undergone the rituals out of desperation and possibly admiration of their Captain who had ascended stronger than before.
The Chapter Master will be an example of this 'daemons are weak' viewpoint. I will keep him strictly Mortal, armed with suitable weapons (as an Abaddon counts-as) and pretty much envision him as having cheated the powers by binding the Daemons to his weapons and just siphoning off their power to keep himself strong and revitalised. I see him as being cunning rather than charismatic.
So, in order - the idea of the company strength is as follows.
1st company - 55% original strength
2nd company - 70% original strength
3rd company - 100% original strength
4th company - 60% original strength
5th company - 100% original strength
6th company - 75% original strength
7th company - 70% original strength
8th company - 40% original strength
9th company - 90% original strength
10th company - dissolved
The companies with Daemon Princes (2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th) are clearly weaker. The 1st company seems weak but that's because they'll have purged ALL the loyallists and are quite fractured in structure now and the 8th company...well..it's Khornate. Let's not pretend they don't lop off their own heads when it's quiet.
From the fluff the Extinction Angels are based around the Eye of Terror. And specialise in fighting in confined spaces - city fighting and I'm thinking rapid insertion tactics.
I picture them having tenuous alliances with the Alpha Legion and other Renegades and a particularly antagonistic relationship with more dedicated or pious Legions or chapters.
I already have the entirety of the 3rd company made and part painted. In fact, all that's painted at the moment is them
I will be making more.
Edit: I've got what I have at the moment listed - there may be more further down the line and I'll probably want more. And it has pretty much been decided I'll do the lot.
And the fact I have a spare Chaos Terminator Lord kit spare....and some Abaddon bits...and a finecast Draigo helmet spare....
I think I might make the Chapter Master at the weekend.
Very convenient about how see them Allying with the Alpha Legion as i just started and Alpha legion army
Lookin forward to that Chapter Master, cannot wait.
I Also love the idea of the first company with their free beliefs. On the battlefield, a squad of Tzeentch worshippin lads, conviniently not hearing the call for support of some Slaanesh Worshippers
More work on the Lictor tonight. I decided to chop and pose and play with it, especially as I realised he'd count as a conversion to enter, eh?
First, some comments - Finecast is great for cutting. Really, no effort to snip and shave bits away. Easy to drill. And my goodness, no pinning. It is staying and balancing on that base without issues. And also, getting a metal Lictor to that pose would have been a royal pain.
Now I'm trying to figure the arms. I like the pose, the whole energetic springing forward approach. But I need to figure the arms. One back, both back as though slashing? Or reaching out?
Also put a WIP up in the GMS of the Imperial Paladin for the swap. I forgot how 'fun' the different layers of blue were.
Nice work again, also great review of the Finecast material and great suggestion.
As for your Leaping Lictor (is that 12 lictors a-leaping?)... I think 'reaching out' makes more sense than in the back position. Its more animalistic, like a cat pouncing.
Update time - yes, I've been a little lazy but I must pull it out and start seriously painting within the next month. And also make sure this chap is done in time for the Mini of the Month!
Taking wyomingfox's suggestion I have some photos of arms posed. One aggressive, pouncing stance and the other with the arms lower down. I wanted a slashing effect but it didn't seem to come right so...meh
I'm liking pounce but I think a modification might look better..not sure. Try drawing the right arm, (the model's right) back behind the right knee. Take some shots. Now move the right arm further back past the "butt", or what counts for one for a lictor. Take some more shots. This way, it looks like the lictor is lunging forward while reaching out with his left arm.
Forgive the dodgy light, this is literally spur of the moment at the desk.
At the knee.
Toward the back.
I'm liking the second pose. It's almost as though the lictor is loping along as it attacks, sort of like an ape. Heck, if I could find suitable piping or cabling for the base about I'd almost do it as though he was propelling himself along like that.
Automatically Appended Next Post: I'll also say that the arms can be modified - Finecast is so much easier to cut and I feel a lot more confident with it. Perhaps straightening the right arm out a bit would help as well?
Between the 2 new poses I agree that the arm looks more natural being drawn back further. Still, maybe twist the arm clockwise (from my point of view), so that it is more parallel to the body, rather than having the elbow jut out so far.
Definately going to do that. Won't need to so much twist it - maybe another pin and sculpt job like the leg. This quality of Finecast might just bump its rating for me at least up a little - I've been able to do so much more with the model than his metal counterpart.
Hopefully this won't auto-append. It's something of a treat for you all and just me showing off.
When Space Hulk came out I bought a box with the express purpose of doing it up along the lines of one of the first bits of GW fiction I read - Deathwing.
It will also conveniently double as a tiny but legitimate Deathwing army too.
So first up is Cloud Runner. Didn't place in Daemon and I can see where and why but I'm proud of him anyway. I'm making slow progress with the others...the next up is Weasel Fierce.
@Meatman33 - Cool. Look forward to seeing how the 'crons are turning out.
Update time today everyone! Just some WIP photos of the Chapter Master as I said I would start. Since he's a counts-as Abaddon he has the same weapon layout. I did play with the idea of alternate Daemon weapons but in the end the sword sets it off.
The lighting's dreadful so I apologise. I'll try to get better shots tomorrow.
A couple of things - not sure with Trophy racks yet. Tempted to use the ones that are joined together and possible do a banner or perhaps a defiled Storm Shield as a banner. Also debating whether to have a Terminator helm clamped at his waist.
In addition he will be having a (defiled) Imperial shoulder pad as well.
Bits used? Chaos Terminator Lord kit, Finecast Draigo helmet (looted), metal Abaddon bits - note, what I will miss about the metal. That talon's fingers were bent to that position. Finecast wouldn't do that and would be fidgetting to heat and bend like that. Plastic LCs would have been fidgetty too!
I really like the SH-turned Deathwing Termi, I did one very similar. Word of warning, at least on mine, the DW icon on top that replaced the BA one falls off at the slightest bump.
Just a quick update before I curl up for my nightly 4-6 hour nap (I'm a MMO gamer and my friends are in the US. I have a really messed up sleeping pattern.) Everyone will get their replies soon and there will be a lot more following this - took some photos today.
I promised shots in better light and here they are.
I keep promising to show a history of painting in pictures.
What better way than to do so with the same miniature, eh? So I bring a history of my painting in Saurus.
The first miniature I ever painted or indeed got - as part of that old £5 offer they had a few years back. You can see my basic attempts at things such as highlighting . I even mixed paints to get some colours and supplemented it with some old humbrol paints my dad had spare as well.
Same army - but this was about a year later - so 1998ish. I'd experimented a bit more with shading (black wash go) and got a bit more brush control. My metallics were still rather poor though.
I neglected the army for a few years after that - then the Warhammer Annuals came out with the playtest Lizardman army list for 8th edition. This Saurus was done then. Between that point I had been focused on my Blighted Brigade. As you can see I got a bit better- better control, better and more smooth metallics. Even my basing improved. This scheme was to continue when they released Lizardmen in 6th edition!
Done shortly after the 6th edition Lizardman army and new Saurus were released - same colour scheme. I put them away a few months after and all but abandoned them, due to infantry being made of fail, even through 7th edition - I never played more than 1 game in 7th edition. I was so frustrated that my Saurus line was a joke. Along came 8th edition and a new army tempting me with new rules...
GW managed to upset and offend me. They blatantly stated in a WD article and a website article that 'all Lizardmen were blue'. I'm from 5th edition. I love my old Lizardman army book where they weren't all blue. I resolved to paint them brown! And so I did.
There. A history of painting. In Saurus.
Now for some other things.
First some WIP of my GMS Marine for Njal - unfortunately my Imperial Paladins just do not photograph well I'm trying though.
The blue on him is pretty much done. I started the metals last night - gunmetal for the blade and bolter, shoulders and Crux Terminatus up to silver to denote 1st Company and piping up to chainmail. Then I get to start on the gold and then I'll figure the robes - going to have them yellow, figure I may as well keep the scheme with the trims being the company colours.
Some WIP shots of my Skaven Warlock from the Island of Blood box. This is why I will never do a Skaven army. They'll be too pretty. I liked tarnishing the metal. I loved that bronze. So much I used this guy as a reference for GW Hull's Grey Seer while painting him. And while painting him...
Friends have decided at some point we'll all do Badab War armies. Red Scorpions and Charcharodons have already been claimed by the staffers (gits! I wanted the sharks!) and my best friend was always going to do Tyrant's Legion (simply because he loves Guard too much to abandon them ). So browsing through the IA books I came across the Minotaurs. All in bronze. All weathered. Oh my. Having discovered my love of weathering this seemed ideal. Plus, they're a firepower based army! Add to that the fact that Forge World stuff seems to be about the same price as normal Finecast stuff ...but this will be a while yet.
I was happy with this - pre weathering. A quick way to paint bronze. Drybrush Tin Bitz, Drybrush Dwarf Bronze twice, 2 Devlan Mud washes and one more bronze drybrush....
And then my joy at my test model was killed.
Mold Line.
Into the Dettol you will go at the end of this month I think when I buy it.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Ack! Replies!
@whalemusic360 - I've had that same problem. The icon is so fidgetty. I think I've got it pretty solid! Glad you like him. The rest will be just as fun - then the world's tiniest, legal DW army!
@Njal - Everyone loves that lictor.
@graven - Haha, yes, I bounce back and forth between projects. I find myself bored of one thing or the other and loathe getting stuck painting one colour.
Love the progress in painting skills you made from start to the present on the lizardmen. Pretty cool to be able to see an artist improvement over the years.
Was going to update with more background material - was actually looking forward to typing up stuff about the Extinction Angels' history as well as a profile for Simeon Valus...
But bad news at work scuppered that. Trying to get is resolved today. Most annoyed as it's pretty much screwing me out of my bonus which I was under the impression I was getting.
@wyomingfox - Thanks. My Lizardmen were probably the best choice for it though they miss a bit in the middle (The Chaos Space Marine bit) when I had stopped playing Fantasy altogether. 8th edition changed that for me.
@whalemusic - Heh. And yes. My Deathwing army will be 12 models strong - all from the Space Hulk box. Though I'm tempted to get a FW dreadnought to represent Cloud Runner's ancestor as he appears at the end of the story.
@BoA - patience and you will be rewarded! I have many projects on the go and things will be up soon. Even with this post!
@graven - and point.
Once more for graven - WIP of his GMS Marine. I saw yours in your thread and grinned. Great minds think alike with the post.
Particularly proud of this guy as bits of him are from so many different marks of armour.
Great stuff DSS love the progress through the ages, it's nice to see! I need to ask what chaos terminator pack that spiked head surround on this page came from? I want to make a chapter master for my army and use that torso with the spikes to make smooth to represent my chapter logo! :-) would look good I think?
how many renegades and wardens have we found so far? do we have a list we can try and find them off? my mate has a vanilla marine army we could proxy as a renegade army? just to kick things off?
Har. Between life giving me ups and downs - more downs than ups at the moment the thread linked has a decent list of the different chapters and that involved. I need to do more, just trying to wait until I'm not in a depressed funk.
The Chapter Master's bits are from the Chaos Terminator Lord set. I know the whole set tends to be rather good - the cloaks, the pre-heresy style lightning claws, the torso. There's even sorcerer bits in it.
DSS, I like your Saurus through time! Always appreciate seeing peoples progress over the ages.
Your GMS marine looks awesome, but the flamer part looks more like an odd flashlight to me than a combi-flamer. Any way to strap a fuel tank on there?
And Moltar - yeah. I kept looking at it at work and I'm trying to hunt down the hand flamer I have spare to do a mini tank connected to the back end of that. Reckon that's small enough for one shot.
Thanks again guys - means a lot that you guys are responding and Gits subscribing is pure awesome.
Whalemusic - expect all my GMS Marines to be a bit more dynamic. I don't like Static. I like everything to be as though it's doing something within its squad where possible.
I like the GMS Marines- the fact you can experiment and play with ideas is great and this guy shows off what I do - use CSM bits and make them seem to fit in naturally.
I took the Combi Flamer criticisms on. Lacking guitar wire I'm going to GS the connection when I get round to GSing the gap between pointing arm and torso as well. And probably GSing the Lictor at the same time!
It does really let you push yourself with new ideas and experiments, both in painting and modeling. I found it did kinda burn me out (the reason I cut WAY back) and I went to a simplistic paint scheme on a hoard army (my nids). I'm starting to get back into the SMs, and have a few active trades atm, mostly with folks I've chatted with outside the GMS. That said, I'm super glad I did participate, it made me considerably better at all parts of painting and modeling, made new friends, and made the community stronger.
Interesting little conversion you got there. Definately agree with the idea of guitar wire. Should be able to pick some up on ebay. (shudders at the idea of greenstuffing guitar wire deatil). Anyways, I will have to post a pick of my combi-flamer conversion that I mocked up last year using an old hand flamer from 2nd edition and a 4th edition bolter.
Rather than buy guitar wire, why not stick to your original idea of GS the wire with the help of these Tube Tools. 20 euro might seem steep at first glance but when you consider how much cheaper GS is compared to guitar wire and the fact that you could make the exact size of wire that you need just by varying the amount of pressure you apply when rolling the wire.
You have, quite possibly, the dirtiest keyboard known to man! (referring to pics on page 1) however, your dedication to wargaming more than makes up for this!
I'm really enjoying seeing all the variety you have in your collection. Keep it up!
@ Wyomingfox: Just doing my part to help out with timesaving tricks, which I only learned 2 weeks ago. Looking at those grooved blocks again just gave me an idea. I wonder what it would cost to get custom blocks made by a rubber stamp company?
graven - if you could that would be fantastic, otherwise I'll hunt around to see what I can get away with for it.
Dark Gear - seconded. Fantastic bit of advice there and I will read more into it when my situation improves a bit.
wyomingfox - yes. I love those combi flamers. May toy with the idea for any future combi-flamers that are made as I still have the spare Hand Flamer for it. The first one is an idea I had had and was probably going to use for future combi-plasmas. I just like playing with concepts really.
Lycaeus - That keyboard is special. 6 years and still going and yes, dirty as all hell. And it's not dedication, it's probably insanity. And BoA - yes. Combi weapons! They make them look so easy!
Dunno what I'm going to do today - have my official grievance filed against my employers (all 5 pages and 2,200 words of it) and have the meeting in a couple of weeks time - going to press for them dropping the stage that happened altogether - which, if it happens means over a year of backpay and my bonus which they've tried to screw me out of (so, as an estimate - possibly £400 ). Simply put they made a right pigs ear of the way the whole thing was handled. Just a stream of constant mistakes and 'whoops, sorry, human error' isn't good enough after it all.
Might work on background material for the Extinction Angels.
Only bits of painting done over past few days have been bits and pieces on the GMS Marines - and then I would up doing the same stage of blue highlighting on the second squad of Imperial Paladins.
Man I need to focus - this weekend...or probably next week. Dark Elves. I need to finish the first 500 points off!
No painting update - incredibly busy weekend. D & D game on the Friday where my players finally got to the actual plot, helping a friend with his loft and then a party on the Saturday and then WFRP on the Sunday. Plenty of food (just what us starving, skint buggers need ) but not a lot of space or time for painting in it all. Whoops.
So while at work I shall be sorting out a 'fluff' update. Partially inspired by BoA's chapter development stuff and also the IA Badab War details- I shall be doing one Loyalist and one Traitor, naturally...largely because the GMS stuff has gotten me sparked on painting my Marines again.
The Imperial Paladins
Founding - 12th
Chapter World/Deployment - Fleet Based/Crusades (Est. 5 active Crusades at present moment in time)
Fortress Monastery - Unknown
Gene Seed (Predecessor) - Imperial Fists (Black Templars)
Known Descendants - None
Extinction Angels
Founding - 6th
Chapter World/Deployment - Sepulcharis III/Warden Chapter
Fortress Monastery - The Vault of Angels (Former Inquisitional Archive/Storage Facility, Destroyed)
Gene Seed (Predecessor) - Unknown
Known Descendants - Unknown
Now more Extinction Angel pondering....yes, pondering. I will tidy this all up eventually.
They're 6th Founding and I envision them being a sort of 'Warden' chapter, responsible for guarding and maintaining an Inquisitional Archive/Storage Facility/Prison in an isolated outskirt of Imperial Space near to the Eye of Terror. They were likely founded and selected for their purity and dedication and trusted to be loyal warders. However, with the Imperium being in a constant state of turmoil this constant state of reliance was to be their downfall. The chapter found themselves isolated and cut off, any requests for support or supplies becoming lost or neglected. At the same time the Imperium is demanding, asking for them to stretch themselves further and further, leading to them to become more and more frustrated and their pride stung.
This breakdown of relations would continue until the Imperium arrives in force and attempts to forcibly draft a significant portion of the Chapter into a crusade that the Chapter Master does not agree with, leading to hostilities. In what becomes a siege they eventually resort to using the very items they were guarding and keeping locked away, punching a hole through and fleeing to the Eye of Terror with bitterness and anger in their hearts, goaded on by the tainted and corrupted items they were forced to fall back on.
This to some degree explains their distrust and hatred of daemons - and the fracturing structure of the chapter between those who openly embrace the powers and those who shun them. It also explains their capabilities in city fighting and tunnel fighting - close environs due to the labyrinthine fortress they were drawn to protect.
Update time! Complete with shoddy photos but that's because I believe my Imperial Paladins are jinxed.
First the GMS Marine for Njal - started the basecoats for the metal though the bit at the bolter grip is going to be redone - had a derp moment and painted that metal when it should be grey like the others.
And, distracted by that I did these at the same time...
More basecoats. The metals should be straightforward then I need to figure where I'm going next with these.
And another poor photo...
First basecoat for the white trims.
Man I need to get better photos - they zoom in a bit better though.
Nice stuff DSS! you need to let me know how you get such a nice metallic finish on all your models, looking really good dude! (even if you are a damn renegade!)
@BoA - Haha. The blue is roughly the same for the lot - unfortunately they don't photograph well in large numbers. And conveniently this leads to the answer for nerdfest too!
That 'sheen' is simple. Ink!
Midnight Blue base, regal blue and mordian blue highlights. Wash of blue ink then Mordian blue to pick out the highlights once more.
As far as the actual metals go - those are basecoats. Black wash and chainmail highlights for the gunmetal - up to silver on the GMS marine (as he's Sternguard) and a shining gold, chestnut ink wash, gold and silver highlight for the gold bits all due to follow.
They're interesting... the two I have (gold and brass) really don't have any analogues in GW's colors so they're nice... but they are a little difficult to work with as they tend to separate easily on a wet palate. Not a big deal, but I think they'd be better on a non-absorptive palate where the pigments would remain mixed.
Hey, DSS, just a tip. Maybe you've tried this, maybe you haven't. I tend to paint in a darker pallette than most and I find sometimes using a black backdrop instead of a light/white one when taking photos will bring out more of the details. Since, both your Imperials and Chaos dudes are darker toned, it may be worth giving it a try.
I have to agree with Gits, the Vallejo paints do seperate quickly on a wet palette, however they do make some colors that GW doesn't, as well as colors GW has discontinued, like tentacle pink. They just have different names.
Personally, I am a big fan of Vallejo paints drop mechanism (always hated how fast the GW pots dried out). I use to use a wet pallet with Vallejos (did so for years).
I switched to a ceramic pallet with indentures last year. I now mix my paints in the indentures and add a drop of a 1:10 ratio of flow aid and water. I feel my painting techniques have improved significantly in the process. Do note that I apply alot of thinned coats to build up the layers though.
Gits and wyomingfox - Thanks. May have to look at getting some of those at the end of this month to play with. Will have to browse to see what else there is.
Moltar- also, a good idea. Time to buy some black paper at the end of the month as well!
Njal - Glad you like the Paladins so far. Of course your GMS Marine will have a lot of yellow - those robes. Similar to the captain at the start of the thread.
LDP - I may be consistent but I have other things to do! Grawr! Too many things!
So, update from last night's gaming.
My Extinction Angels never got to come out to play . The Dark Elves on the other hand have been disappointing me though that might change at higher points values - if not I always can take the Lizards to the nationals again next year and use my David and Goliath list to horrify people some more.
Bear in mind all these initial games are at 500 points with the only requirement being a hero and a core choice - from 1000 points the percentages kick in. Also note it doesn't officially start until the 21st of July!
My army for all of this at the moment...
Hero - Sorceress - Level 1, Tome of Furion - Lore of Shadow
Core - 16 Repeater Crossbowmen - Full command
Core - 10 Spearmen - shields, Full command
Rare - Repeater Bolt Thrower
Game 1 - Empire
My opponent's army consisted of the following:
Wizard - Level 2
Core - 19 Halberdiers - Full Command
Special - 10 Greatswords - Full command
Rare - Hellstorm Rocket Battery
As my opponent tried to be a sneaky bugger with his Lores he ended up having to randomise and ended up with Metal. Lesson learned - always write your Lore down. Don't tweak!
Spells I ended up with - Occam's Mind Razor and the signature spell. Deployment was dead opposite eachother - the bolt thrower sat in a wood.
He ended up with the first turn. Both units moved forward as expected. The magic phase was just not there - nothing worth casting. The Hellstorm got a shot spot on, resulting in the Spearmen failing their panic test (double six) and fleeing straight off the table (double six). This was to become a pattern with them.
My first turn went differently. The army stayed stiill. Magic - nothing worth really casting. Shooting! The Crossbowmen took down the back rank of the Halberdiers with their volume of shots. He passed that panic test. The Repeater Bolt thrower pipped off two greatswords.
Turn two for him - more advancing. The wizard attempted to cast the signature spell and that was dispelled. Nothing more happened. The Hellstorm managed to scatter wildly off target.
Turn two for me - he was getting awfully close. Too close. Stayed still once more. Magic saw me getting a silly large spell off with an irresistable on a mighty 21 - Occam's Mindrazor on the Crossbowmen. Strength 8 in combat. Now he was very reluctant to charge! The sorceress took her wound and managed to pip off two of the crossbows. Roll the shooting phase - the Halberdiers vanished as everything opened fire on them. Some 34 close range shots from Bolt Thrower and Repeater Crossbows wiped out everything, including the Wizard.
Turn three - no charge. He didn't fancy the chances of striking last against Hatred fuelled S8 Dark Elves that outnumbered him. This unfortunately left him exposed to another round of shooting. His Hellstorm once again shot a tree in the distance with scatter.
My turn three - no moving - wonder why. Sorceress fires off Occam's Mindrazor again and manages to kill herself - also to become a pattern. The unit is still buffed to the teeth and scary. More firing where luck betrays me. The Greatswords are reduced to six strong.
He charges. He dies. Game ends there- hatred fuelled S8 Dark Elves managed to get 10 hits and 9 wounds. No chance of saving that!
Game 3 - Orcs and Goblins
Or, to be more accurate...
Hero- Level 2 Night Goblin Shaman with Feedback Scroll
80 Night Goblins with Spears and Shields - Full Command, 3 Fanatics
1 Rock Lobber
Oh dear. Of all the armies involved I was probably the best chance of this and my luck had been worse than average to this point. Point of note was that my luck was to be the ultimate downfall here. 32 shots is bloody useless when statistically 16 should hit and only 6 do.
The spells I wound up with were Pit of Shades and the signature spell.
Turn 1 - Me. Scenario meant were were slightly closer. No movement. Wizard irrestistables in first turn with a Pit of Shades....which scatters the wrong way and missed. One wound down. Massed fire removes 10 goblins.
Turn 1 for the Gobbos. He squabbles! No magic as nothing in range - for some reason he wasn't willing to send the Shaman out on its own...for shame. The rocklobber lands spot on the spearmen and takes out four of them. They manage to not panic.
Turn 2 for me. Spear elves move forward. Sorceress casts the signature spell on the unit - he uses a feedback scroll. She dies to that but the spell goes off, reducing them to Movement 1 a turn. More shooting with massed fire taking down another 6 due to appalling rolls to hit.
Turn 2 for the Goblins. They shuffle forward. The shaman pops a spell off which I can't stop with one dice - Four crossbows down. Next turn he can move full speed and then I'm stuffed. Rocklobber thankfully misses.
Turn 3 - No moving. No magic as the Sorceress is dead. Reduced shooting offs another 8 goblins. He moves forward. Fanatics hit the spearmen who manage to survive! They still panic (double six) and flee into the fanatics that just went through them (double six) and promptly die. Well done lads. His magic hits the crossbowmen hard, dropping three more. I have one more turn of shooting and then I'm buggered.
Turn 4 - Turn of shooting. 24 goblins dead so far. At close range I have a bit of luck! 14 goblins dead! Huzzah! Wait...he passes the panic test. He charges. I stand and shoot. I kill 2 goblins. Below average dice rolling is my bane here. The Shaman gets a spell on the Goblins. The Rocklobber smushes the bolt thrower with a direct hit. I kill maybe 3 goblins by fluffed hatred fuelled dice rolls....and 18 Goblin attacks later the Crossbowmen are gone. Oh dear.
Game 3 - Daemons
Dear Matt Ward - I hate you.
Opponent's army was as follows.
Hero - Herald of Nurgle - Slime trail and breath weapon.
Core - 14 Plaguebearers - Full Command
Special - 5 Daemonettes on Steeds.
Sorceress ended up with Pit of Shades and the signature again.
Opponent gets first turn - Vanguard's the Steeds frighteningly close and them moves them straight along my flanks. My first turn is a rapid reform - crossbowmen turn about, bolt thrower is already angled to face both targets and the Spearmen move backward a bit to threaten the flank. Magic phase - Sorceress irresistables a Pit of Shades onto the Plaguebearers...which scatters and only clips 3, killing two. She takes a wound. GOOD START WOMAN.
Massed fire drops the Steeds down to 1 due to below average rolling and jammy ward saves. Sigh.
Opponent's Turn 2 - Steed charges the spearmen who hold. Plaguebearers shuffle forward. Herald vomits a breathweapon onto the flank of the reformed crossbows and kills two - a waste which he later regretted. Combat - Spearmen fail their fear test (did someone say double six?). Thankfully hatred turns it around as we spear this daemonette with a flurry of 5s.
My turn 2 - more reforming. Spearmen move forward to threaten plaguebearer flank as a sacrificial speedbump. Magic....oh magic. Pitiful low dice roll. Sorceress uses Power in the Darkness for more power dice....irresistables it, blows herself up and kills more crossbowmen. She's getting kicked out of the Convenant later. Massed shooting drops four plaguebearers.
Opponent's turn 3 - Charges at the crossbowmen. FAILS to connect. Gets shot up by stand and shoot. 4 more plaguebearers dead. 10 down so far. This has promise! My turn - charge the spearmen into the flank! Hatred sees them win the combat by one and pop Plaguebearers with combat resolution. There's 3 left- the Herald and 2 friends. Opponent fails the LD test to reform. This combat lasts 2 more turns, ending on his turn 5 when the Spearmen lose....fail their break test (double six!) and flee (double six!) off the other table edge...and my opponent fails to restrain and shuffles after them.
Let me sum up the rest of the game.
I shoot. Lots. I miss. Lots. The crossbows and then bolt thrower are cut down, wounding the herald one and reducing the plaguebearers to 1. Sigh.
Lessons learned - Elves are still squishy. My dice rolling is terrible. My sorceress should be kicked out and left in a cardboard box.
Ah well.
I'm currently reading all the =I=munda stuff and I must say...I'm tempted.
Tempted to take and strip down my Cawdor and using bits and pieces do them up as a Nurgle dedicated Chaos coven with the token Death Guard ally.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Also of course tempted to use my AoBR Orks to do something...Orky.....
Yes, I was busy this weekend as I realised I have 25 days until my first 500 points needs to be done and as such I sat myself down and plowed onward, though Dakka now has me wanting to paint Space Marines again which is proving most distracting.
So, first up on the painting block - the metals are pretty much all done for the 16 Crossbow Elves and the Bolt Thrower crew. The bolt thrower itself is about 60% done - I'm doing it make of the same tarnished metal as their armour.
Obviously I'm chewing through Badab Black wash like there's no tomorrow. This is somewhat worrying as my already limited budget may be stretched even further for more of the stuff.
But there was still more progress!
First, the WIP squad of Imperial Paladins.
Trying the idea of a darker backdrop as suggested by Moltar. I think it shows them a bit better which is good. There's been more progress in the hour following these photos - the gold is all but done barring silver highlights - this was pre-Chestnut Ink and additional gold layer.
Also got some work done on the GMS Marine for Njal. Again, black backdrop to the rescue!
And again -pre inking stage! Quite happy with how he's turning out.
Now the next question is where did I get this black backdrop, eh?
Well....I happen to have one of these....
So, more painting this week to follow. More Elves until they're done. At least I've got the bulk of them done!
I've had it a few years. It's a very nice book but I'm reaching the point where I'm considering selling it. Of course I'm a hoarder so that will probably never happen.
Everyone knows you don't ever want to get rid of a rulebook! I'll have you know I'm a proud owner of a tattered 3rd edition rulebook, a hardback 4th, a small 5th, the 3rd ed SM, the 4th ed SM, and the 4th ed guard. As well as some more modern works (and a waist high collection of Shonen Jump back when I was into that).
It's not hoarding, it's just good reference material :p Kaesar II
Wow that blue highlighting on the model with the gold makes it looks like it's a different model entirely, love how the gold stands out on the model, keep up the great work!
wyomingfox - thanks! I'll say moltar's black backdrop idea helped a lot - that's generally how the whole SM army will look - the just don't photograph well under normal circumstances it seems.
Kaesar- Haha! I'm just as bad. 5th edition, 6th edition, 7th edition and 8th edition for Fantasy. 3rd, 4th and 5th for 40k. A hoard of old army books and codexes. A GW Staff friend suggested if I were to put it up aim for about £300 (So, $430 US) - if I could definately get that I'd do it.
And Njal? Don't worry! More to come!
Just gotten back from posting stuff off to graven and elsewhere since I'm sort of swap shop addicted.
Egads the postage was steep. Nearly £10 to send a Chaos Rhino and some bits to the US!
Glad people like the Marines! And here I am a happy Chaos player at heart...
Another irritation I realised while at work - I'm not going to be able to become a DCM this month! Here's hoping I get results from a number of things - a grievance for the way disciplinary stages have been handled, stern words with my credit card company about payment protection policies that turned out to NOT be mandatory and maybe a decent sale of a rulebook.
Not much of an update painting wise - got the basecoat of green on the rest of the Dark Elves and am realising I have to start moving a bit faster. Also mixed up a mix for the next highlight layer of the cloth in a spare mixing pot so progress should now be easier that way. 17 days to finish them up and start on the rest. Eep.
I've also gotten good news on the money front - turns out the Payment Insurance on my credit card was the wrong type and sold to me under false pretenses, so it's been downgraded to the appropriate one and I've getting the difference backdated and refunded to my card. In addition a complaint was put through about the overlimit fees from this way too expensive insurance so I might get those refunded back as well! Huzzah!
Last, but not least - if you notice the signature, yes, I am going to sell that book. If I can get a respectable amount for it it'll pretty much pay for the Nationals for the next year and help me out a significant amount.
Plans for this week?
Well, Dark Elves need to be done really and I'm not going to have much time next weekend to do them. In addition I need to start progressing on my Lizardmen - finishing the shields and bases of the initial lot so I can start new stuff for the Nationals.
Indeed. It may seem a bugger but to be honest? If I can get a decent amount for it I won't mind so much. Especially if it sells for what it can - pretty much funds an entire thing for me in one go which is what I really want it to!
I'm in an odd mood. Trying to play with ideas for 2,000 point Tyranid lists for a game on Thursday against a friend's IG army.
Important thing to note - this IG army has no vehicles other than Sentinels so the amount of foot based firepower he can put out is quite terrifying. Annoyingly I left my current idea of a list at home so am working off memory.
The Tervigon forms a solid anchor in the centre, advancing behind the Carnifexes and Hormagaunts while pooping out Termagants to spread about. Hopefully my opponent will have issues of rogue Carnifexes and Hormagaunts to focus on other than my sole Synapse on the table.
Hive Tyrant, Lictors and Trygon are all DSing - simply because the Lictors are more than capable of taking out command squads, the Trygon is another monster in his lines and the Hive Tyrant is going to start bullying weapons teams with Paroxysm (BS 1 for you!).
Mawlocs are the ones that DS and put the template down - however they lack the ability to be upgraded to a Prime (with more Synapse!) and as a result don't get the Prime's nasty 12 shot, S5, AP5 ranged attack. In addition they're quite weedy with fewer attacks, lower WS (which would mean they hit Guard on 4+) and no scytals so no rerolls. I can see the appeal but I want this thing to scare him properly.
Trygons also leave the hole which troops can enter through from reserve. This is always risky - there's a chance that the troops will come before the Trygon and even then they can't assault the turn they pop up. As the only candidates I have would be Hormagaunts...a turn stood in the open doing nothing at close range would just be a bad plan against a Guard army.
So, another update - the day before I have the game - provided I get it sorted with my opponent (he really needs to pick my stuff up tonight if he can so I can just meet him up straight from work tomorrow).
My normal minimum payment went through for the credit card. I checked the balance over the phone and it gave me a total of £6 credit. Fair enough, enough for a week, right? Get dressed and ready for work, then realise I might be able to check online as they finally got round to linking my accounts up.
Check online....and it shows £344 credit!!!
Phone them up and they say - this is correct. I should be getting a letter to confirm it in the next few days. Turns out my PPI complaint got me MORE paid back than I thought it would
So I might be able to become a DCM after all. And do a couple of decent shops. And get my Sorceress on Dragon, my Hydra and my dice! SQUEE!
No titan. If you want I can start on one of my Hierodules as a celebration?
That bit of money will go toward sensible things - clothing, food and maybe let me get more of those fine dice when they go up for pre-order. But yeah. Huge weight off my chest with that. And what's better is that this might only be part of what's being paid back!
Trying to decide on which big gribbly to put together and paint...
Do I do either my last FW Trygon, another Scythed Hierodule (which I can use as a counts as Tervigon) or the Barbed Hierodule (counts-as Tyrannofex in smaller games)?
In addition I got to pick someone's mug up from the Post Office today. It's quite fantastic - weety did a wonder with it! Had a cup of tea for the first time in years (odd side effect of actually having money - I can buy tea, sugar and milk) and it tasted spot on.
I've not forgotten or neglected this - just been busy over on Panic's 40k Sorcerer thread. That, and painting Dark Elves - which I've not taken photos of as I'm pretty sure you guys deserve a better photo further along once skin is done too - you don't want to see more green
And just to let you know about Panic's thread?
Just a WIP shot from Monday night - turning the Necromancer into an Iyanden Seer....just waiting for a bit to arrive so I can do the back and then I can get the shoulderpads sorted out...and then the basing.
And Knightley - no magnetising options I'm afraid for the Hierodules - Barbed and Scythed have a single option for weapon choice and come on two different bodies and builds so aren't even that interchangeable! I know because that was one of the first things I considered.
Niiiiice work dude! money models and movies, sounds like a great week! especially when you become a DCM! I'm trying to pay for a new kitchen installation including all new Euromaid appliances and new premium underlay and carpet through the house! so no DCM for me for a while :-( but I will join your ranks I promise you! the name Nerdfest09 shall be one of the exulted ones! :-)
and I'm looking forward to seeing how you do that farseer!
First of all - progress on the Dark Elves goes well. I've just got to finish the skin tones on 2 Repeater Crossbowmen and then I can do weapons and leather straps, belts, dagger sheathes and then just odds and ends for details and they're done.
But the Sorceress I'm proud of. Was going to paint the metal one but the new plastic just tempted me.
Put a bit more effort into her - the skin tones are blended, glazed, blended again and go into nice pale hues.
The hand I'm proud of - attempted OSL with the idea of her casting a spell and the 'glow' emanating from it. Normally I use Lore of Shadow but DE Sorceresses can use Death and Dark as well...both of which I picture having purple hues to them. The source of the light would be around her hand....essentially this is the moment where the spell, whatever it may be is fired off.
Almost done with the first 500 point slog. Then I can do a bit more work on the Necro-Farseer as the last bits I needed were picked up this morning.
but that sorceress is awesome DSS! really, really nicely done! love the tones and the glazing, you've done an excellent job on her! the osl os good too, I can't wait to see her finished to the same level, it'd be worthy of any comp or beating down on the battlefield! what colors did you use for the flesh? and tricks i can learn? :-)
wyomingfox and Nerdfest - Thanks! The skin tones are probably one of the most important aspects of this one as there's just so much skin involved. I'll do a stage by stage thing for my next Sorceress - probably in a few months time when I get to her. Similar sort of model, just as much skin showing. I have 5 bints total though one's on a dragon, one's on a Cold One....sorry, make that 6. I forgot Morathi counted as one too.
Did some more work on the first 500 points today. They're all pretty much at 90% done. Just have to do sheathes, teeth, lips and basing and that's 28 Elves and a Bolt Thrower out of the way. Ironically I have even -more- to do next month.
Did more work on the Sorceress today as well.
You can see I went for a sorta NMM gold thread look for the runes on her robes - The bottom rune at the front being a unifying rune design for the army. I've also stuck to purple hues for her hair as well.
Not the best picture but I went for an amethyst effect on the staff top....man, from these pics it really does look like a stripper pole
And lastly what's one of the best views - her face. The eyes have a sorta glow going on.
The pictures are a bit dark but meh. She's about 90% done herself. Just got to finish off the dagger at the back, do a bit more highlighting on her hair and base her.
Cheers LDP and GiraffeX! I had fun with that hand...the next Sorceress - not to be done for 3 months time or so will be just as fun as it's the metal one stood on that swirling maelstrom thing of faces - might go for some light shadowy OSL from those - I'll also make her the tutorial for skin tones though she might have more blue-grey tones.
Just a text update at the moment - almost done with the Elves. Literally in the last stretch before tomorrow. Have to finish the bases off and then just get the shields on...I'll freehand the runes on the shields when I get time later on.
I'll get photos of the finished result tonight! Then I may treat myself and touch up my Lizardmen - where the Salamander crew chipped, do the bases on them, finish off some shields.
So....for the Tale of Many Painters this month...
My 500 points are as follows.
Hero - Lady Sindariel - Sorceress - Level 1 (Death), Tome of Furion
Core - 16 Repeater Crossbowmen - Full Command
Core - 10 Warriors - Shields, Full Command, Standard of Discipline
Rare - Repeater Bolt Thrower
Total Points - 495 points
What's better is that this is a perfectly legal army!
For Next Month....
15 Warriors - Shields
15 Black Guard - Full Command
Repeater Bolt Thrower
In addition to that I get to take my already painted initial 500 points of Extinction Angels in for a few games...
And I'm due my long awaited 2,000 point game with my 'nids against my friend's all infantry IG army. Only been about 5 months since were were first supposed to have it
Sorry for the bit of absence, still waiting for the pictures to be put up from last Thursday. Got three games in - 2 for Fantasy and 1 for 40k with the Extinction Angels - all at 500 points.
First game with the Dark Elves went well - a solid win due to massed firepower. Second game with the Dark Elves went well despite being a solid loss...they don't deal with omni goblin hordes and I will admit some of those spells are just nasty.
The 40k game...not so well....
I find it a bit tragic that 20 Chaos Marines and a Chaos Lord comes to the same points value as 10 kitted up GK Purifiers and 5 kitted up Terminators. Those extra 6 guys really, really don't compensate for all the I6 power weapons floating about or the superior WS or the rending S7 Psicannons. Suffice to say the Chaos Marines are pretty much shelved for the duration of the tale - I'll paint them up but I'm certainly not gaming with them.
Especially when you consider the same 500 points of Tyranids is 10 Termagaunts, 20 Hormagaunts, a Tervigon and 2 Zoanthropes.
So it was decided for the painting side I'll do the Extinction Angels...but for gaming I'll use the Tyranids. Gav Thorpe did a proper job of pretty much killing any variation in CSMs - basically unless I field the 'standard' tournament fare (which is exactly the same as everyone else) I just get rolled over by any variation of a Matt Ward list.
Hopefully Chaos Legions will change that.
So yeah. Fantasy-wise I'm happy though I might change a Lore out with the next points increase. But 40k wise....most disappointed.
Dear Gav Thorpe - yes, I know the CSM codex can be competitive. But some of us actually like variation. It's just no fun when your army has to be identical to everyone elses or be ROFLstomped by any Matt Ward codex you can name.
If you want to succeed in CSM business in a 2000 pt game here's a fun read on a different approach. It would involve you converting nine models, though. Since, the GW ones are totally lame.
Yeah. That's almost a prime example of what's wrong with the current CSM codex. Obliterators - nothing else in their slot really competes with them. It's not as though Chaos has overcrowded choices (like Tyranids), it's more they have one gem in a pile of meh.
Have a few more games tonight - Dark Elves and Tyranids. Never did get my 2,000 point 'nid game so we're looking at month 5, but considering the opponent's going through a break up at the moment I don't blame him.
Learning experience from the last games for the Dark Elves - should have gone with Dark over Death - better range, better effects and better utility especially at this points range.
Tonight will be the first low level 'nid games but I think I have a bit more of a shot.
500 points of Tyranids is...
Elites - 2 Zoanthropes
Troops - 10 Termagants
Troops - Tervigon with Regeneration and Catalyst
Troops - 20 Hormagaunts
I may even switch the painting side of it to the Tyranids if they'll let me. I'll have words with them tonight to see if I can do a bumper of 'nids for next month (but they can be damned if they think I'm going to paint up Tervigon spawned gaunts - those will be in my own time.)
And yes, I am using a Hierodule as a counts as Tervigon. The thing's significantly big enough to be a T6, 6 wound critter and on par with the Trygons.
just wanted to thank you for giving me a little inspiration for my statues.
for my eternity stairs.
used a red wash to give a bit warmer hue and brazen brass as highlight
Oh wow. Thanks mate. Glad my bronze effect is helping to inspire people - personally love painting metals which is why when I do eventually get this lot of Skaven from a trade (though....two weeks now, beginning to think something's up) I'm going to have fun with them.
Sorry for the lack of progress and photos. Will try to get more this weekend. Now on operation Dark Elf, part 2. Even more elves to paint and then 'nids.
lot of skaven ?
<--- suddenly remembers the 5 sets of IOB skaven and 6 sets of IOB elves waiting for my brushes >.<
and of course need to finish of my dark elves.
actually doing the sorceress you had WIP pics of.
might slap a pic or two of her up when i get time to paint her.
btw did you get my pm about detoll ?
i got a thread in painting and modeling about biostrip which i found to be far superior.
dettol leaves a really nasty black goo behind (spent 30 mins scrubbing down my sink NOT fun)
Automatically Appended Next Post: i love the postie when he brings this stuff.
of course this means i got yet more stuff that needs painting.
oh well atleast i am in no danger of dropping dead due to having all painted models
Being workblocked sucks - I'll look tonight when I get home. And yeah mate, I got the PM and I'll consider that as wel - just chuffed I can be inspiring.
And as for you nerdfest and anyone else wondering?
Trick with metallics for me comes down to the washes in the end. Not fancy blending of tones from the basecoat but more the washes and how they are applied.
For example - the weathered bronze is fairly simple - Tin Bitz base, drybrushed up to brass and then heavily washed with Devlan Mud - three or four heavy washes with edge highlights of the brass.
The golds are Tin Bitz, a solid coat of shining gold, Chestnut Ink or Sepia Wash then thin layers of shining gold, burnished gold and mithril silver as highlights.
I have to admit that GW's washes are fantastic for what they do. Even if they do sometimes smell odd.
Thanks DSS! I thought that was how you did it but wanted to check so i could steal it :-) and I'm glad i'm not the only one who thinks the washes smell like satans anus!
nerdfest09 wrote:Thanks DSS! I thought that was how you did it but wanted to check so i could steal it :-) and I'm glad i'm not the only one who thinks the washes smell like satans anus!
Nerdfest09
ROFLMFAO thanks i needed that laugh,but must admit I am a bit worried how you would be able to make that comparison
Oh i'm just guessing zugzug! :-) but sometimes I feel the smell could turn even his features fearful of what's to be released from the pot!.....No......for the love of....don't put it near your nos.....e....Ugh..ugh ahhhhh, please...NOoooo, my wings......curling....my skin,......bubbling...my bowels.......well, my bowels actually smell better than this!
Bit of a long update so expect a barrage of pictures as I explain my absence with what I've actually been up to in the past two months or so! As some of you well know and from WIPs previously shown I've decided to join a local escalation campaign, painting 500 points of Dark Elves each month. Well, the first two months are done - all I need to do in the last month is go back, do the designs on the banners and shields which will be one of the runes that features on the Sorceress.
So let's do this in order of the months, eh?
Month 1
Sorceress - You've already seen the WIPs and currently she is the de-facto leader of the force. Mixed runs of success with her. If she gets the right spells she'd devastating, otherwise she doesn't tend to do much apart from Miscast and explode. Dark Magic is proving worth its weight...Soul Stealer is practically a game winner if it goes off and she doesn't nuke whoever she's stood with!
Repeater Crossbowmen - These have formed a solid core so far and the amount of firepower they put out is intimidating. Of course the vagaries of dice rolling means their effectiveness varies from devasting to utterly useless. Naturally they're also a prime target. Best moment so far for these guys? Standing and shooting a full health Warsphinx to death despite needing 6s to hit and 6s to wound.
Months 1 and 2
Spearmen - The cheap and cheerful Core unit who are destined at higher points values to be used a stabbables for the Lore of Shadows sorceress when she is done. Not much I can say about them.
Bolt Throwers - Rounding out the firepower for the army - I find the single bolt is utterly useless. The bolt thrower itself is deliberately done as cold, dark metal to show it is a war machine and not something that would be polished and kept like a display piece. I can't imagine them preening that much! P.S. - sorry for the dark pictures.
Month 2
Blackguard - Painted slightly different with one less black wash giving their armour a bit more of a sheen. Where the rank and file troops and crew look as though their armour is just darkened and tarnish I like this effect on them and will be repeating it on the Cold One Knights and Dreadlord when I get to them. Games wise....they've definately proved their worth and are one of the scariest units out there. Multiple attacks, high initiative and rerolling every turn, plus Stubborn and high Ld.
Month 3
Dreadlord and Corsairs WIP - As you can see the Dreadlord will have a similar appearance with the Blackguard, showing his armour to be better kept. The corsairs will be more tarnished as their appearance alone distinguishes them with the cloaks and long boots and gloves.
In other news...
This is as far as I initially got with my Pimp Your Sorcerer entry. I will get back on him soon enough.
Yellow done, Necron Abyss is a poor substitute for Midnight Blue as a dark blue basecoat. I'll keep working on him though, as promised.
Still alive and in a sea of Dark Elves! Expect more pictures come the weekend when I can have a proper sit down and plow through them as my time isn't being kidnapped by LARP, family or other such things.
In addition, those of you in the UK may see some of my stuff on a certain website soon if I'm lucky.
Blaaah. My bad. Expect more this weekend when I stop being such a let down folks. A lot of issues over the past three weeks regarding my bank cocking up my credit card.
However, front page updated with a lot - I've been organising things out and have compiled my Extinction Angels into yet more forces. This weekend I plan on a painting binge as I've fallen behind on a lot and friends have agreed to help see me through the month til the damn money goes into my account!
Been a while but I suppose I may as well update, right?
I've not been idle. I've been doing other things. DCM things, see?
But new year, new start, new resolutions to keep me going.
#1 - Finish painting my friend's SoB - he's paying me to do it and has been really understanding of my eccentric whims so time to do the girls up to scratch for him.
#2 - Finish painting his WW2 Germans too. I no longer have the excuse of being out of black ink for the basing.
#3 - Get my Lizardmen up to 3,000 points minimum.
#4 - Get the Chaos Space Marines up to 2,000 points minimum.
#5 - Get the Imperial Paladins up to 2,000 points minimum.
#6 - Get the Tyranids up to 3,000 points minimum.
#7 - Finally finish painting that Skaven Warlock from the IoB box!
#8 - Get at least 1 squad of FW Death Guard done.
#9 - At least assemble more of my Eldar than I have done currently. Their masses of boxes make me feel guilty.
Seems simple enough, right? But we need to work some stuff out. Mainly 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Also planned as well for random painting as I've just found them...
An Empire Knights of the Blazing Sun Grandmaster
A unit of 15 'Counts As' Greatswords with full command consisting mostly of These 'foot' Reiksguard and the old, old metal Greatswords and Reiksguard!
Well, you at least have the massed ranks for your chaosy boys, so it should mostly be vehicles and fun little squads there, right? Or not? More std chaos boyz help boost a line, but really, where are they without their big fun tanks, which soak up points? But good to see you've go a res going, and also that SoB, even if on comm, are on it. Good luck on surviving this new year
Man the models are looking great! Keep up the good work, but make sure to keep a steady pace, a ready supply of your beverage of choice, as well as some eye glasses handy. Don't want you to get burnt out or eye strain. And we all know dehydration is just not a option.
Oh and on a side note....I know exactly why you're such good friends with your local GW guy.....you have without a doubt made sure he hit his sales numbers.
So....I just had a good 5 days off work in a row. I accomplished....
Vomit into a bucket.
I'll get photos up later tonight. Didn't get anywhere near what I wanted done due to sickness. Managed to put together some Chameleon Skinks and did a bit more work on another project but other than that....nothing but me and a bucket.
Suffice to say RL came along and bit me royally on the rear end. 6+ weeks off work with depression. Yep. That was fun. A lot of issues that had built up over the past six years resulting in one hell of a burnout and as a result I had reached the point where I stopped doing anything.
But now? Now I'm much improved. I've got plans, I'm making progress and things shall be done - on my schedule, no one else's. There will be pics following, likely tonight on what I've been up to. Suffice to say I let a lot of things slide and now I need to get back in proper.
Current WIPs?
Bring the combat Tyranid Warrior brood to minimum strength.
My last 2 Zoanthropes.
Then I'm likely to dive into the Tervigon and some more Temagants.
Pictures as promised. Unfortunately lighting conditions in my kitchen at 8:30 pm are less than favourable - they're certainly not as yellow.
Including a few things I forgot to mention...namely the Flyrant (hence why GW can stuff it for me ever buying the plastic kit - I have 2 FW Flyrants, 1 4th ed. Tyrant, 1 4th ed. Tyrant converted to Swarmlord and 1 3rd ed. Tyrant!) and Timmy the Carnifex.
The Warriors first - as one of them is closest to completion. For some reason my scheme always comes out better on Warriors.
Just needs basing and he's ready to join his brother.
The 3rd is a bit more WIP - he shows the odd stages I go through at least with the bizarrely blue wash-bone tones.
In case you forgot what their finished brother looks like!
The Zoeys. Once these are done that'll be all 4 of my Zoeys done - these 2 and 2 3rd ed cousins. Again, shows the odd tones of blue wash-bone that I go through. Fairly fun to paint in fact.
Their cousins are impressed!
Tim the Carnifex. I'd forgotten I'd gotten him to this stage so added him to the list of WIPs. To be honest all he needs doing is the carapace, glands and tongue and he's pretty much done. Plus, he's a cheeky large point addition to the painting pledge
That and he also has a brother waiting too!
The FW Flyrant. To be honest I prefer this model as his profile is just so much more intimidating. The wing membranes are pretty much entirely done in blue ink, so, yeah...that was fun.
Great to have you back there. As my old advisor of studies said, "Depression is the curse of those of us who are highly intelligent." I really love the Zooeys in particular, I think it's that they're predominately the darker blue-black with yellow accents, which really works for me (likewise Carnifex 2).
Glad to be back. Over the weekend I finished the Zoeys. Now I need to do a mass basing session tonight - so hopefully photos then!
Decided that I'm going to paint up everything I have undercoated already rather than building more and getting myself in a more meh mood. Good to have focus that way for the 'nids!
Next up will be the Warrior, Flyrant and Carnifex. Then I start on another mass of smaller critters.
About a week after my last post my desktop computer at home died. I mean, dead dead. The motherboard cooked itself after the area suffered 6 power cuts in a row (thanks Yorkshire Electric, really ) leaving me without anything.
Currently I am borrowing a friend's spare laptop. It's a POS. I hate laptops. It's not powerful enough to run much, it's awkward to type with and it occasionally zaps me with electric shock from a corner every now and then. In short, I need a new system altogether. Which is gonna set me back...a lot. I'm looking at £800 to £1000 ideally, £600 at a push for something somewhat less. As such I've been unable to upload photos or do a whole lot.
Sigh. FML really.
I did get some stuff done, as shown below - I need to do the basing and stop assembling my Death Guard really. I need to refocus. Again.
Also, check my For Sale thread on the swapshop - linked in the signature. A lot of stuff up on there and every little helps!
Nice builds chief. I feel your paint pain, I'm forever getting distracted! As for computer crisis, nightmare! My desktop is on its last legs, mostly I am reduced to using the old magic space phone to post, I'm going to end up with a grotesquely overdeveloped thumb...
Quick update - been working on the tester for the power armoured Death Guard scheme. Going to stick with the metal weapon idea - going by the old Index Astartes article. I just can't see them having panelled their weapons as they kept things unadorned and utilitarian.
Bear in mind still WIP - have to do the brass, flesh tones and leather on him.
Then I get to start on the Apostle of Contagion test model.
Honest opinion times - what are folks opinions of the Typhus in my gallery and that WIP Plague Marine tester above?
Good enough that I might (read, just might) be tempted to paint an all FW Death Guard army to that standard - documenting it as I do so on here...for the cost of a new computer?
Insane idea, right? Get funds, get new computer. Then dedicate time to painting the army up to that standard and sending it off by the end of the year.
But would it be worth it? Considering every model in the army apart from Typhus has FW kit in it - from the Rhinos to the Vindicator to the Terminators to the Plague Marines themselves.....
With the best will in the world, with the amount FW bits required at present I'm not sure how much you would clear on this. Not a slight on your paint-fu, just being ruthlessly fiscal.
Well, that settles it. Have conveniently stumbled across a decent system via a reliable seller on ebay....that is over £200 less than what I was looking at...with free delivery!
So here's hoping the credit card plan goes through and I'll get that puppy instead and keep my nice pretty painted FW Death Guard/Apostles of Contagion for myself!
So close to new computer - like, £80 shy of what I need. Should be able to get it at the end of the month but god damn I want it NOW. D:
I'd even be able to pay back at the end of the month too for that £80. Just don't like waiting. 1 month with no computer sucked, 1 month with craptop laptop is also sucking.
Did some more work last night on tester plague marine...this time on the bronze and leather - discovering that Rotting Flesh will be used for EVERYTHING. EVER.
So yes.
In summary.
Dakkastarter - Whoever donates £80 will get the following - it paid back in 2 weeks time, a digital photo of me hugging the new computer and a digital photo of me holding my cat in a wierd and silly pose.
Rotting Flesh - This paint is used in everything. Green armour, flesh tones, leather, pustiles.....everything.
I've got a full pot that's lasted for years. I barely use it - only small amounts for mixes and highlights.
Should last me the army easily
Automatically Appended Next Post: Sadness.
Funds for new computer having to take a temporary hit. Should be able to afford it still at the end of the month, just having to potentiall shell out £50 now for new glasses tomorrow. Sigh.
Sorry for no real updates, it's what happens when you lack any sort of reliable computer. But that is soon to be fixed. Took a payday advance loan - don't mind paying £10 extra if it means I get to get things 4 days earlier! Computer has been ordered and paid for, should be getting it by mid next week with luck! Then I can go back to painting proper with a system that is actually useful and does stuff rather than a POS laptop!
Did some more work over the past few days on the 'testers' for the Forge World Plague army I'm doing. Got them completed, just need to do the bases and they're pretty much done.
First, the actual 'Death Guard' scheme.
Very happy with how this turned out. The scheme is nice, solid and stable and the blending on the greens works out well enough.
Then, the Apostle of Contagion.
Also very happy with this - the pale 'cream' scheme compliments the Death Guard well, which means the whole half and half idea for the army will work nicely. Plus, it's another weathering technique for the metals - the Death Guard have burnished and tarnished gear, the Apostles have rust and corrosion.
Also, OSL! I like how it came out so I plan on it for any plasma weapons in the army (so basically, just the 2 Plague Marine squads that have Plasma Guns).
And finally, WIP on the first Terminator of Typhus' own squad...
Yes, he does have a Power Axe and Storm Shield! The idea is to paint the Storm Shield up as a looted and corroded Black Templar shield...and this guy is part of a 'command' squad - so there's him, the Icon/Standard bearer (with a combi flamer and treating the icon as a Power Axe - especially since there's one modelled on the combi flamer!), the 'Apothecary' with combi flamer and chainfist/narthecium and finally a 'Techmarine' with heavy flamer and power fist.
Sorry about the dark photos. Apparantly it's now getting darker sooner over here. Sigh.
Thanks you guys. The fly logo is something I'm keen to echo from Typhus across his squad and the detail - well, that's all Forge World to be honest. The amount of detail on FW models compared to GW is insane.
It's that time of month again and as I've had some time off with plenty more to go I figured I'd get the composition shots done for the next two finished and start working on the third Terminator.
Of course the new codex has rendered one of these options illegal but hey, counts-as, still fits the theme and I'll be damned if somewhat gets all fussy about it.
First the mandatory Champion. In all fairness I had been debating doing that as a counts-as pair of Lightning Claws but I might just be lazy and points-conservative and keep the axe a power axe and the shield as a combi-bolter. Considering the asthetics were my main focus for this squad I don't think anyone should complain too much. After all, I am basing them off the old Imperial Command Squad layout....
Then the now non-Heavy weapon/tech priest of the command squad. His highlights seem a bit more harsh compared to the others. Something I'm sure will be less so when I've done the last two of this command squad.
I'm working on composition style shots for everything now. It's just more convenient to be honest. Next up on this command squad is the Banner Bearer - which is going to be a royal pain as it involves me carefully painting and weathering the banner to look like an old, old Dusk Raiders company standard....
I just love all the detail that is picked out on your models...from the tiny horns to the little yellow balls of pustule while keeping it from getting too garish.
@inmygravenimage - They are, aren't they? The wierdest thing is the painting style is relatively 'clean'. Not too many inks or washes involved, no glossing of things....apparantly clean produces grimy.
@Gits - And that will be a standard. I just have to go back and start taking photos of everything again using the same layout.
@wyomingfox - I know that feeling. There's a real temptation with some to go OTT on the details and to deviate from the colour palette but I know that will turn out garish. No outlandish purples and blues for me sir, no thank you.
Started work on the third Terminator so the unit will be technically legal - first legal unit painted in the army, yay! Planning on using the freehand effect they used on that 'nurglish' Defiler in How To Paint Citadel Tanks on the shoulder (as it's a metal combi-flamer arm).
I really am happy I grabbed most of the old painting books. The newer stuff and also that in WD and from the looks of it in the iPhone downloads is just awful. No description of techniques, no commentary, no blend ratios, no different angles...nothing.
I'll say this. I probably couldn't have done these Death Guard justice if I had started after the switchover.
Brief update time before I dash off to buy another pair of trousers.
Not much. Just some finished compilation photos of the 'tester' models for the Death Guard and Apostles of Contagion as well as a WIP compilation shot of the first actual plague marine for the Death Guard. Yes, I'm still working on the Terminators, this was just an interesting aside and I rather like how he's turning out.
Expect a longer post later on detailing my plans for the future as well as other projects I've wandered back to - including some Flesh Tearers and the Extinction Angels after a long, long hiatus.
And just for all you that loved the blending on the metals on the Terminators and Typhus...I think you'll like this WIP so far!
Really like the models. So for the greenish metal jumpacks: Are you base painting them a metalic, then applying washes to green them up, followed by a metalic highlight?
Nice look on the Apostle of Contagion, though I think I prefer the green color scheme. What is the reason for the whitish power armour?
The Apostle of Contagion scheme is a different colour. As I have both the models for Typhus and Necrosius I'll do the models half and half so that I have a small force of AoC and DG that I can use as I want. Fluffwise there's a rivalry, so I'd never field the two together.
Edit: By the two I mean Typhus and Necrosius. The plan is still to have parts of each warband mixed in.
The backpacks are boltgun metal, several black washes to darken it down, then glazes of turquoise, vermin brown and greens with a chainmail edge highlight at the end.
Now that the new Codex is out I'm looking at the Nurgle army and realising that I need to add a few things and change a few things and unfortunately due to the way things are panning out in terms of funding and also in terms of what Forge World actually produces my original idea of the 'all' FW army may have to be put on pause. I love the aesthetics but have to appreciate that the sheer monetary cost is quickly escalating beyond my reach. As such I am having to look at other options including plastics, existing metals etc. that I may have and even Finecast.
So to start, let's look at what I have currently.
Death Guard
Typhus (Metal)
Chaos Sorcerer (Forge World)
4 Chaos Terminators - 2 Combi-Flamers, 1 Heavy Flamer (counts-as Combi-Flamer), 2 Power Axes, Power Fist, Chainfist (Forge World, Plastic)
Chaos Dreadnought - Twin Lascannons (Forge World)
10 Plague Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns (Forge World, Plastic)
Rhino - Extra Armour (Forge World, Plastic)
10 Plague Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Plasma Guns (Forge World, Plastic)
5 Chaos Terminators - Reaper Autocannon, Power Axe, 4 Power Fists (Forge World, Plastic)
10 Plague Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns (Forge World, Plastic)
Rhino - Extra Armour (Forge World, Plastic)
10 Plague Marines - Champion with Power Fist, 2 Plasma Guns (Forge World, Plastic)
Vindicator (Forge World, Plastic)
Not a bad spread. Plenty of room for expansion for both factions and I plan on mixing and matching the units as not only a way to tell them apart but also to influence a particular theme for the force depending on who the leader is.
Now let's look at what new units I'm looking at adding into the army.
Daemon Prince (Death Guard, Finecast) - I don't like the Forge World one. At all. The distinct lack of power armour is somewhat offputting and to be honest it doesn't match the aesthetic of the rest of the army so I will have to pass. I'm also not a fan of the 'plastic' Daemon Prince either. Again, it wouldn't match the aesthetic. Instead I'm most likely to look at getting GW's own Finecast Nurgle Daemon Prince. I feel this would match the aesthetic of the army better and from what I've seen the more recent Finecast miniatures seem to be a lot cleaner and a lot more defect-free than the first few batches.
Cost - £22.50
Chaos Terminators (Death Guard & Apostles of Contagion, Forge World & Plastic) - I need to get one more box of Terminators and one more upgrade kit to finish both existing Terminator squads off and bring them up to 7 each. I like the sacred number and it allows me to add some options as well as make one currently modelled weapon 'legal' WYSIWYG instead of a counts as.
For the Death Guard the plan is to add 3 more Terminators - with combi-flamers and power mauls to help get some hits as currently the entire unit, including Typhus is I1 and as such vulnerable to monstrous creatures and dreadnoughts. It also opens up options for me to field this unit on its own as something other than a bodyguard unit.
For the Apostles of Contagion the plan is to add 2 more Terminators - with combi-bolters and chainfists but also to make one a sort of Icon Bearer. This keeps the whole semi-Imperial theme with the unit, adds more options and also keeps the whole sacred number thing.
Cost - £28 for the plastic Terminators, £18 for the Forge World upgrade kit.
Chaos Dreadnought (Apostles of Contagion, Forge World) - I want to get the 'second' Nurgle dreadnought from Forge World with the twin Heavy Bolters. Just because.
Cost - £43
Cultists (Generic, Plastic) - I don't like the Dark Vengeance cultists too much. I also find that the cost of getting them is still somewhat steep, ranging from £10-£15 per squad of 10. Considering I want 2 units of 20 that is somewhat...eh. I also plan on making the cultists fit thematically and to be frank the detail on the plastics is a bit disappointing.
Forge World's plastic/resin hybrids are nice but again, don't quite match my aesthetic and the cost is prohibitively steep (looking at close to £40 per unit of 10!). So instead I have decided to go for something much more subtle, aesthetically pleasing, relatively detailed and also oddly enough Nurgle appropriate - Skaven Stormvermin! By using Storm Vermin and adding in the odd 'masked' head from the Doomwheel kit and the Plague Catapult kit it adds variety and they can easily be counts-as Plague Zombies with their halberds as well. Plus, rats and plague go together rather well.
Cost - £61.50 for both units!
Heldrake (Apostles of Contagion, Plastic) - I hate the new Heldrake. It's price is prohibitively steep, it doesn't match the aesthetics at all and I personally feel it would look silly and out of place. Thankfully GuitaRasmus has a solution that looks amazing and turns out cheaper. A converted Daemon-Fly based off the Arachnarok spider. Much more Nurgle appropriate and much cheaper too!
Cost - £36 for the Arachnarok Spider, £6 for the Drain/Pipe bits.
Raptors and Warp Talons (Death Guard, Forge World & Plastic) - To be fair I like some aspects of the new Raptors. in particular the weapons. I could also easily do something with the horns and spikes growing out. I also like the corrupted jump packs. The main issue for me is the head, torso and shoulder pads which have far, far too much ornamentation on them. Thankfully the Torsos are seperate from the legs and jump packs which opens up the options of the Forge World converstion kits.
The idea is again, sacred numbers. 7 Raptors, 7 Warp Talons. The Raptors will be standard fare using the Forge World conversion kit.
The Warp Talons will be a bit more special and will involve a bits order for some Chaos Spawn 'insect leg' bits. I want to do them having mutated to be somewhat like flies, with compound eyes, smooth helmets (so cutting away the helmet spike) and insect limbs for the lightning claws. The jump packs will remain however.
Cost - £61.50 for 3 Raptor boxes, £44 for 2 Forge World conversion kits. (To be fair though I will have spares leftover!)
Chaos Spawn (Generic, Plastic & Metal) - There is currently no plan to buy any more Chaos Spawn. I have 3 already and will paint them in such a way they can be used by all my Chaos armies. Thankfully 1 of them looks distinctly Nurgle with insect bits and the others look suitably organic and twisted on their own.
Cost - £0!
Defiler (Apostles of Contagion, Plastic) - The Defiler I have is going to be done up and put in. The Plague Hulk FW kit costs nearly as much as 2 Defilers on their own so to be frank, I don't feel I need to save up for it. Liquid Greenstuff armour plate stippling and a suitable paint scheme will have to suffice.
Cost - £0!
Obliterators (Death Guard, Metal) - This is the part where I need opinions. I can do one of two things for my Obliterators.
I can either convert up some old metal Terminators to be Obliterators...
Or I can use the 3 'current' Obliterators I have. To be honest I always liked the models, just felt the colour schemes they've been shown in don't do them justice. I feel that doing them in my Extinction Angel scheme won't help either as their fairly broad shoulders and trims would make purple and white look garish. However, in the same muted green tones as the Terminators, with the flesh painted up in a similar manner as that on the Champion's shield or the Tech-Terminators 'tabard' - bruised, sallow and raw I think the current models might work a bit better for this.
My gut instinct leans toward the second option but I'd not mind opinions.
Cost - £0
So there we go. Some long term plans for the Nurgle army.
A minor update. Expect more pictures over the week as I photoshop balance them in my own time. Been busy at work with these guys and now have a nearly legal army though it is tiny. 5 DG Plague marines, 4 AoC Plague marines, Typhus' Terminators complete as well.
Derp. Well, I fell off, became inactive, became lazy and failed to keep you guys up to date.
Let's fix this shall we?
Firstly, a more current project that I'm trying to get done by the 4th of May...for the second leg of the York-Hull annual tournament...thing.
The rules for the tournament are simple - 1800 points, Allies permitted, No Fortifications, No Forge World, No Dataslates/Formations - however Tyranids CAN ally with themselves (the organisers added this as an amendment so that Tyranids didn't get hosed by being the only faction that could not ally and was almost entirely reliant on terrain or formations to strengthen themselves in that way).
The list is as follows...
Primary Detachment
Hive Tyrant - Wings, 2 x Twin Devourers, Electroshock Grubs
Hive Tyrant - Wings, 2 x Twin Devourers, Electroshock Grubs
As you can see I have a bit to go to get them done - thankfully the most droll and painful process is out of the way - that would be the first wash, first bone layer and second wash. Now I just get to mass paint bone before mass painting carapaces and putting in finishing touches. The list so far is amusing and involves using things at exactly the right time to work. Of course, I have no clue what I will be up against since the last one was oddly a mixed bag. I do hope for the Ork player again - simply because the Crones will do so many bad things to Orks.
But I have not forgotten other things either!
Just a photo to let you know the current State of the Flesh Tearers I started as a DCM (and will get back to, honest!) - the force as it stands is loaded with jump infantry and needs a few vehicles - torn between getting a Razorback or a Drop Pod at the end of the month with a Mawloc (largely because I want the exclusive SM captains. I am a feelthy feelthy man.) Pictured is everything bar a single Rhino/Razorback which needs to be assembled...
The good news for the Flesh Tears is Blood For The Blood God. I love it. It's perfect for the sort of effect I wanted and when dabbed or stippled on even comes out looking sticky. So enjoy a few pictures of how a Sternguard and Vanguard Veteran make use of it - others will get it done once I sort transfers...
First - charity tournament a few months back. Fared rather well with my 'nids, placing third. First tournament of the new edition and the guy organising it...made a bit of a mess of it.
So in the end we had things like the Necron Pylon/Tesseract Vault list wandering around as well as a Reaver Titan. As I was lazy and didn't get sufficient things painted up in time my own list was slightly sub par...but still did things.
There's another Charity Tournament of sorts coming up end of September...I have time booked off to paint for it so need to plow through it.
Flyrant - 2 x Twin Devourers
Flyrant - 2 x Twin Devourers
- looking forward to the Death Guard (
. Anyways, four painted armies is something to be proud of. Now you need to start snapping more close up shots of individual models and/or squads. I like what you did with Typhus, great job layering the greens.
I'm trying though.
Mold Line.
