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Its time to base my Hive Fleet Kraken models. These models were dipped. I have two objectives - they need to look nice and be easy (I have over 120 models to base).

I am having a hard time deciding the best way to base them. Seriously, I looked through the entire Tyranid Codex, and every Kraken model is based the same, tan color (with grass). It looks okay, but a little washed out maybe. I'd like some contrast, but not TOO much.

Any suggestions are appreciated (pictures even more so). Any references to other colored bases for Hive Fleet Kraken mndels would be great too (I have most of the Codices).

Here are the pictures of some of my models. http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Dipping_Tyranids

Thanks!

Mez

it depends on where you game most. city fight rubble building bits ect. standard grass grass rocks shrubs ect or a bug planet

Wow, they look pretty amazing after dipping,a nd fi you got 120 models, I'd look into it.


My nids require 4 coats + details so I'm not going to go for the whole 100 gaunt scheme - mainly special units.

You got a couple of questions to answer on your wiki article discussion thread on the dipping including a few from me!

As for basing... I'm doing something really similar to the kraken scheme (a little more yellow rather than white on the skin, red carapace) so I'd really be interested in seeing what people post on here, too. I was planning to just do the standard brown base with static grass.

Nice Guide! How fast does that milk thing spin? are you going to do anything to reduce the shine on the models?

Let's see some pics folks

Well, I don't have any pics (at work) but you mentioned you wanted contrast. Why not do the gravel with a few tufts of static grass thing, but paint the gravel an "Ash waste" style. Black paint grey highlight with the sharp contrast of the green grass. Nids consume each planet they cme into contact with so you could always say the black/grey nature of the soil is the after effect of getting the planet eaten.

Clthomps wrote:Nice Guide! How fast does that milk thing spin? are you going to do anything to reduce the shine on the models?

Damn fast. Don't think so - I like them slimy looking. They are Nids after all.... Mez

The background on Kraken in the codex states Kraken had a genestealer incursion on Ichar IV and subsequent bloody battles throughout its hives. I think a techy or rubble strewn bases could be cool.

GW has some recipes for painting the new game board HERE

The ashwastes with some rubble would fit the bill for portraying Ichar IV. If you backup the article to the other pics of the new board -- "wasteland" would be very cool too but there's no recipe for that one. Same goes for rocky outcrop.

Alternately, simply using a darker base is enough contrast. Thus, go for a darker swampy look compared to bestial brown studio bases -- Scorched brown with minimal highlights and then add green grass and the occasional leafy thing or leaf litter. Some bases could have pools of green/algae filled puddles and what not (nice contrast w/ the red carapace, used sparingly so as not to get the xmas look).

HTH

I was actually going to say, with the dipping making the guys darker already, you might want to go for a light base...

Home from work yet, burb1996?

Problem with lighter then the model bases is they have a tendency to draw the eye away from the model and distract the viewer. Making the base darker puts the model in the forefront and creates a false sense of depth (lighter stuff is closer, darker farther away).

Making a base lighter is not automatically bad though, like say for a theme, can add to the model as a whole even as it pulls the eye away. Like when a Space Wolf is on a snow base, it just looks cool.

Wow... never thought of it that way... thanks for the tip

winterman wrote:Alternately, simply using a darker base is enough contrast. Thus, go for a darker swampy look compared to bestial brown studio bases -- Scorched brown with minimal highlights and then add green grass and the occasional leafy thing or leaf litter. Some bases could have pools of green/algae filled puddles and what not (nice contrast w/ the red carapace, used sparingly so as not to get the xmas look).

HTH

It does. I'm thinking Scorched Brown over the entire base, then lightly highlight with Beached Bone, then top off with a little static grass here and there for effect....

I'll let you know how it turns out....

Thanks - Mez