Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Wow, the 4 legged servitor mule thing is really cool. Thanks for sharing the Ironsleet stuff - I'd seen a few but not the blog. Great to say paint on the Knight faction dude and hope to see more.

Thanks guys!

Yeah the guys at Iron Sleet are a major inspiration

I think the little 4-legged guy will wind up being part of the Knight World retinue. Just had the idea of it being an 'Amalgam', which is basically a composite servitor made up of bits and pieces of multiple servants.

I'm thinking that if a member of a Knight House loses a duel or swears fealty to another House or Knight they 'donate' one or a number of their servants in a token gesture of good faith. These 'donations' are then composited into single servitors to display that an individual or a House has power over those who swear fealty to it. Whether it's an honoured retirement arrangement, or they're treated as trophies or pack mules, or gruesomely paraded in front of the losers depends entirely on the character of that particular House.

Thinking more about it...I kind of want to do a faction of those all by themselves...

Well I just couldn't leave that idea be so the little pack mule got painted up pretty quickly!

The Pilgrim's Guide to the Galaxy: Salazar's Scar
A most curious region of space. Salazar's Scar, as it's known to the locals, is located on the very eastern fringes of the Imperium. Discovered by the eponimous rogue trader in 651.M37, it was promptly marked down as an area of little economic interest, with a limited population and only a passing trade in eldar artifacts.

The Scar itself is a crescent-shaped reach of star systems comprising 50 or so habitable worlds. Habitable in this case is a generous definition, for each and every life-supporting world is comprehensively desertified. Only a few worlds sport hives, which mostly operate as individual polities rather than forming any sort of interstellar government. Space travel is limited, although there are a few shipping lanes that run between the more heavily populated worlds and derelict orbitals. Most inhabitants are techno-tribal in nature.



Amalgams
Amalgams are a curious tradition among the Knight Worlders who inhabit certain reaches of the Scar. In their basest description, they're composite servitors, constructed from a number of different individuals rather than a single vessel. Not too dissimilar to chimerics the galaxy over, really. However, it's their social function that's most fascinating. Members of Noble Houses, and some of the more powerful Ignobles, exact tribute from those who they have bested either in single combat, martial enterprise, or political manouevering. The lattermost is frowned upon as unchivalrous somewhat, although that in itself might be a ploy by the more manipulative Lords.

Basically, it works like so. The victor in a tussle of any sort is provided with a servant from the losing party. This servant is incorporated into, or forms the beginning of, the composite-servitor known as an amalgam. These amalgams form a living display of one's victories, and an indication of one's social standing. Particularly powerful victors, or those who win particularly decisively, may demand a particular servant be donated. Or, rather, they may make a suggestion it would be most unwise to refuse. Thus, not just the size but also the intricacy of an amalgam is impressive. There is tremendous artistry involved in creating the most impressive amalgam, the better to display your societal standing.

This practice has bled out into the other cultures in immediate contact with the Knight Worlders, so it's possible and even probable that one would encounter such creations in the populated sections of the Scar. It's important to keep alert to the presence of them, lest you be surprised by the true political standing of an individual you are liaising with.






At first, Thibaut didn't realise the creature in front of him was an amalgam at all. It appeared to all the world to be an ordinary servitor, albeit a very finely made one. However, from this close, his optical bionics noted the fine lines of stitching criss-crossing its skin. With this revelation a shiver ran down Thibaut's spine. What colossal edifice of political and martial might would be required to be able to acquire the donations of...over 330 his bionics implied...tributes of such close physical and genetic similarity as to be almost indistinguishable from a single being? His own amalgam, cobbled together from three hodge-podge tributes he was quite frankly lucky to have acquired, was quite pathetic in comparison really.

He glanced around the receiving-hall and spied at least two dozen similarly adorned servitors. Now that he knew what to look for, the stitching was easy to find. Sweet merciful Salazar what had he gotten himself into? Suddenly, going Errant didn't seem like such a good idea after all...

That's great stuff. The models really work together, too.

Thanks dude glad you like him (or it, rather)

What a horrible idea. I love both the knight errant and his servant / pet / abomination. I think you've done really well with the heraldry and tech combined, he really fits a techno savage world in my mind. Nice work!

It really is isn't it? Thought it fit quite well with grimdark Feudalism, where if your master does something stupid and gets himself beaten you get hauled of and turned into an amalgam. Not a great life to be honest!

Thanks man

I love that fluff, and excellent paintwork.

Ah, Chordclaws, most useful bit in existence, other than the Fulgurite Cog-Halo.

Thanks man! And agreed. The addition of Ad Mech and GS Cults kits has done more for conversions and kitbashes than every single Marine kit released since the first Tactical Squad. Chock full of so many useful little bits and pieces

Ahem, I could argue that the SM Vanguard vets box is a goldmine for marine kitbashers.

I'll give you that there are tons of little bits and pieces from that both for Marine kitbashers and non-Marine ones. The kickass sword-arm on my Errant Knight is from that kit

+++Access Astropathic Burst Dated 257.057.M42+++
...
---Estimated Point of Origin: Antigonos System---
---Callsign: Unknown Archaic Designation 'Diadochus'---
---Status: Intercepted---
---Flagged: Problematic---
...
+++Recall Excerpt+++
...
At last, the yoke of the Astartes has been lifted. Harried and overstretched, they have not the might to contain us. Join me and sail to the stars oncemore. Join me and reforge the empire taken from us. Join me and Antigonos shall rise again!
...
+++End Excerpt+++
...
+++Redesignate following pict-captures: Hostile, Retaliate With Prejudice+++
...





...
+++Cease Access and Distribute+++

Cool, like the antennas on thei neck. The amalgam background is very imaginative and characterful. Models are perfect! Always more excited about this blog.

Thanks man! Same with your blog

The antennas are because fluff-wise they have a sort of Skitarii-like control mechanism where a strategist (Strategos) can direct their battlefield movements in real-time. Still plan on making a Strategos for them. Just a case of hunting down the right bits

Ooh, make the Strategos riding a chariot, please. That would be awesome!

 EmberlordofFire8 wrote:
Ooh, make the Strategos riding a chariot, please. That would be awesome!

My plan was a sort of tracked contraption based on a Kataphron chassis

Rebel techno-greeks! the very best! (i am getting the rebel part right, right?)

Absolutely with all the sh*t going down in the Dark Imperium all of the little human empires that survived and developed during the Long Night, conquered since the Great Crusade, are finding a sudden dearth of Imperial presence.

Chaos in the Imperium (both literal and figurative) provides an opportunity for these proud little empires to reassert themselves after millennia of Imperial rule...

Oh, what do you people of the skintone? I tried to go for a Greek/Mediterranean skintone as it always bothers me slightly that the majority of Hoplites in popular culture look decidedly Anglo-Saxon...

Can't tell if I managed to hit it right.

I think it looks good, although your murky photography makes it a bit hard to tell. (please don't take that as a criticism - they look great)

Yeah I'm not quite certain why these guys turned out particularly murky. I think my phone sets the white balance/exposure based on what it's focused on, so it varied depending on the dominant colour of the model. Must get a better camera...

 Ynneadwraith wrote:
Absolutely with all the sh*t going down in the Dark Imperium all of the little human empires that survived and developed during the Long Night, conquered since the Great Crusade, are finding a sudden dearth of Imperial presence.

Chaos in the Imperium (both literal and figurative) provides an opportunity for these proud little empires to reassert themselves after millennia of Imperial rule...

Nice! this is exactly the sort of storytelling i wanted to see with the whole "fractured empire" thing.

Thanks man yeah it was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about the Dark Imperium being basically cut off from the astronomican. Long-distance communication and travel would break down, causing humanity to devolve into a host of smaller interstellar empires. Ample opportunity for petty warlords to carve out a corner of the galaxy for themselves, ignorant of the true scale of threat that faces humanity.

It certainly opens a whole bunch of narrative windows! Makes me think of the fall of Rome

That's exactly what i was thinking it feels very much like the fall of Rome, except the section of the empire still holding out is the west not east...

Don't be scared little one, that's Zeerses. He's one of our best fighters, not that there's much of him left by now. Knew him as a boy. He was a fighter then too.

Very cool thread, you have some creative ideas here and they're well executed.

Thanks dude!

Nice work on the techno-scavenger, it really fits 40k's gothic but technologically advanced theme.

Also a friend.y reminder that your chaos war band needs to be finished in 3 weeks. Good luck!

Oh crap! Hah i got distracted by my Chaos Eldar (do they count?).

Shall see what i can pull together!