Camkierhi wrote:
The final shots being hidden is quite good, we do that on the LoER comps. Stops people being demotivated seeing wonderful work finished and they are struggling.

As for now, I certainly don't mind how you do it.

To be honest don't think of it as a competition, more a bunch of friends coming together and making something different, in appreciation of one of our greatest mentors works.(just need an emote for "Creep!")

But seriously, I do this for the challenge of the piece not to compete against people. I don't stand an earthly against most of you guys, but I enter for the challenge to myself, that's why I enjoy Gits comp, and Nerdies, and Bebops when he used to run one, and of course I love my beloved LoER competitions. Please don't get me wrong here, I really like following Para's monthly comp, but found it seriously demotivating competing. Just me and my mind, not the competition at fault, but when it goes to public vote and no-one votes for you except out of shame, it really screws with your head.

Good luck everyone, but mostly to Gits, judging these entries would be ridiculously hard for me, there is such amazing skill on show, and you have definitely attracted some big guns this year.

 nerdfest09 wrote:
Finished the Mantis Maker entry, I wanted a moody atmosphere for it so went with a quiet almost slow composition with the mantis walking slowly away from the Errant marine as if in thought about his actions and what it means to be a mantis Warrior.

so without further hesitation I present my entry:

"Who am I to prove brother Ramos wrong?"

 Paradigm wrote:
Aye, we are! Think I made a note of some of your metallic methods before, but this one looks a little different.

Got my entry done, a scene depicting the moment at which this Mantis Warrior realises he can never find redemption and fully embraces the fate of a traitor:



The Star Phantom's offer was clear as he approached. An honourable fight, a good death, and at the last absolution. Galen readied his blade, shifted his weight, and stared in silence at the approaching warrior. A split second to think...

No. No, he would not die like this. Not at the hands of his brothers, not at the hands of the ones who would leave him nameless, call him faithless, let him fade away into nothingness. Fate had made him a warrior. Fate had made him a traitor. Now, as he raised his bolter and unflinchingly, hatefully pulled the trigger, fate would make him a survivor...


Any thoughts welcome! It was great fun putting this piece together and I learned a lot in the process. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of you come up!

 brushcommando wrote:
Alright. Here's my Finished Entry:





A bit simple perhaps, but I tried to go for maximum fidelity to the colors in the old "Chapters of the Badab War" poster. Now I realize that some of you may be wondering how this fits in with the theme. That's simple: I knew I could never compete with the likes of you all in a straight painting competition, so I decided to rely on the old age of the models, and the rather underhanded tactic of appealing to Gits's nostalgia to win out over all your youthful exuberance! Mwuahahahaha! No seriously... well I thought it was clever at least...

 Camkierhi wrote:
Well heres my final pics.









Good luck all.

 Minus wrote:
I posted my entry in my topic : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/1200/406869.page#8648735






Edit : I forgot to post pictures in here.

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Nice job Insaniak, looking very cool!
So my Mantis Maker entry is done: "Regicide".












Many more pics in the gallery!
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-22619-34180_Competition%20Entries.html

Fluff!

Spoiler:

"The new Scouts fared well?"
It was the first time that the Grandmaster had spoken, since acknowledging Artur's arrival and their bout had commenced. As ever, it was impossible to read his unblinking, sightless eyes. So like the Mantis itself, thought the honoured veteran Commander, encased in his metal shell. He cast his gaze across the board once more. Resignation, perhaps? The servos had by now relayed all permutations to the Grandmaster, and the pincer of Artur's remaining Astartes assured him victory against the ancient warrior. A ploy? Perhaps. But with only the Rex remaining, his choices were few, his options limited beyond noble self-sacrifice.
"Aye, my lord, well enough. They will be fine instruments of the Emperor's will, should he deem them worthy." He shifted his remaining Devastator to pin down the gleaming, golden Rex. "You are checked, my lord. And I believe the game is mine."
A statement, not a question.
"Tell me," continued the Grandmaster, barely acknowledging the inevitable, "Were they as attentive to all of the details of Tranquility as you once were?" A nudge from the servo-arm, prolonging the endgame. Artur frowned.
"I schooled them in full, just as you did me, sire." The towering Terminator shifted to his whim, "And checked once more, upon two fronts." The pause lengthened like a rift in time itself. "You have but one move, Grandmaster, and it ends in Regicide."
"Did you know that I was a Vanguard, Commander?"
Artur frowned despite himself, accessing memories deep in his core.
"My lord, there were no Vanguard Veterans of the Tranquility campaign."
As if from nowhere, the table shimmered, shifted.
"None that you know of, child." A rare crease at the corner of the Grandmaster's mouth - a suggestion of a smile?
A Vanguard, clad in corvid armour and streaked black on yellow, bore down upon Artur's Rex, and struck hard and true.
"A Mantis always guards his secrets, Commander. Regicide, I believe. As you say, I had but one move open to me."
There was nought he could do but let cry a wordless, furious yell, slamming his fist to the table and sending his slain Rex reeling.
"We are hidden even in the shadows of our own history, Artur. The treachery in the truth, the hiding in plain sight - the ancient art of the Mantis."
But his words were dust in the recycled air, as his Honoured opponent was long gone.

Inspiration

Spoiler:

I'm fond of David Mamet, from whom the quote comes (I am an English (& Media) teacher, after all) and this spurred me on to thinking about Stanley Kubrick's 'The Killing' (I also teach film) with its iconic chess scene (great movie, great director, and cited by Mamet as one of his favourite moments in drama - yes, I am a nerd, thank you). I got thinking about chess games generally, and Paradigm mentioned Regicide, the 40k descendant of the game. And so it came together. The venerable Mantis General howling in rage and frustration at the unexpected defeat! I tried to stay true to Gitsplitta's interpretation of the MW, and afaik he's not done any Tranquillity pattern Vanguard Veterans so I factored that into the fluff

 insaniak wrote:
SO... My completed Mantis Maker entry. I had hoped to get some more detail work done on them, but I've been fighting a migraine for the last two days. Ever tried painting fine details when you can't actually focus on the end of the brush? It's all sorts of fun.

So please excuse me if these photos are slightly blurry... I honestly can't tell right now

With a light crunching of gravel, the scout advances through the rubble, scanning around himself as he goes but with his eyes being drawn back to the anomaly before him. Propped up on a twisted pillar protruding from a pile of rubble, a Mantis Warrior helm sits a silent vigil.



With the tip of his combat blade, he carefully prods the helmet, lifting up its front edge to confirm that it is indeed empty... unaware that death approaches silently from behind.



Outgunned, outnumbered, the last of his squad, the veteran Mantis Warrior has lurked amongst the ruins for days, waiting with endless patience for his prey to come to him.



Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance.



Er... wordy words and such. Here's a top view. Just because.

 bebopdrums2424 wrote:
You guys are way too kind! Thanks for such nice compliments!! So ok I'll enter Thanks so much for allowing me to join the fun!
Cam you're nuts! But my guy sure is sparkly, he needs to get some. Hehehehe...your trash talk has inspired me my friend, and I most certainly will fall short to your brilliant construction skills. I can't pass up the challenge!
Damo, you know how to make a geek blush!

Gits, below I'm posting the first step to completion, all the wip pics are in my blog, but from here on out I'll be posting the unbuilt parts for the 2nd model and the diorama base. Let me know if there's any issue with what I've done so far, I won't hesitate to cheerfully back out! ... I just posted it in my own blog for you guys here and the sake of spam, here be the first of my four part entry. Cheers and looking forward to it!

 stonned_astartes wrote:
Finished the marine, just the base to go now.