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I think the reason that the bionics don't look good is because you made them into a weapon. Orks make bionics into weapons, Tau don't. When I suggested bionics I ment bionic eyes or arms to support the look of being Earth Caste not having them be bladed weapons built into the Taus arm.

I am just going to scrap the count as Kroot project, it is way to much hassle. To make up for that, I thought of an equally thematic idea that can be pulled off with less work: feral Kroot, using Kroot rifles modified to look like fighting staves, giving them some sort of blowgun as a ranged weapon, and giving them more skulls and such.

I also picked up a box of 10 Space wolves, just to give me something to do. I may sell these on eBay, or keep them as the start of a second army. One of the special weapons bearers has been magnetized so he may either have Wolf Claws or a Plasma Gun, and the unit leader has been magnetized so he may either have a power sword or a power fist.


The 4 SW that have some paint on them; the skin needs a wash and a final highlight.

The SW special weapon bearer with Wolf Claws.

The 6 SW that have not been painted.

And the leader with Power Sword:

With Power Fist:

And some homemade CoD terrain.

Umm aren't Kroot already feral.....

Warboss Imbad Ironskull wrote:Umm aren't Kroot already feral.....

I am thinking feral as in "tribal". Sort of like savage orcs in the idea that they are brutal, hate technology, and are basically...primitive. To the core.

Yeah sorry but I don't see a differance between what you're describing and actual Kroot

Also if you're going to have Kroot that hate technology and such you're going to run into a problem in that you've got Earth caste who ARE the technology wizards behind the Tau Empire and then Kroot who hate technology? Dosen't make sense.

I don't see why you have to have a special story for your Kroot. It's fluff that not all Kroot serve the Tau Empire exclusivly so have some of them work for your Tau.

Warboss Imbad Ironskull wrote:Yeah sorry but I don't see a differance between what you're describing and actual Kroot

Also if you're going to have Kroot that hate technology and such you're going to run into a problem in that you've got Earth caste who ARE the technology wizards behind the Tau Empire and then Kroot who hate technology? Dosen't make sense.

I don't see why you have to have a special story for your Kroot. It's fluff that not all Kroot serve the Tau Empire exclusivly so have some of them work for your Tau.

I meant to say kroot with Fighting Staves and blowguns instead of Kroot Rifles, but yeah, I believe I will just go with regular Kroot, all this fluff+converting makes my brain hurt. I'm a painter first, not a converter or a writer! And thanks for being a consistent commenter, Warboss Imbad Ironskull (Wii!)

Does VMC Natural Steel seems to be really bad about not wanting to wash out of your brush? I had to get out dishwashing soap and warm water, plus a lot of elbow grease to dislodge the last few metallic particles.
I got some more work done on my SW. I am really happy with how the highlighting turned out on the pair of Wolf Claws. Comments, criticism, and input appreciated!

No problem I've always like fluff and converting, add that to the fact that Tau have always been one of my favorite armies and especially the Fio without whome the Tau way of life would be non existant.

And it's just Warboss for simplicity, Wii makes me sound like the game system

I got some more work done on my SW, including taking the Wolf Claws off of the one guy, as I realized that they would be an illegality, and when I turned them and the light caught them, they looked like they had been glittered, as I had not washed the brush out enough after I used it with my metallic paints...:mad: And the VMC Natural Steel color is waterbased, so I do not know what is going on.
Got the markings done on most of them and the armor mostly painted on the 2 new ones.


And don't worry, I will get to work on my Tau soon!

I think you should fall back onto the counts as kroot built from firewariors, After all fluff wize it doesnt quite fit as well as taking away from the feel of the army.

I thought kroot dealt with the fire caste primarily with some dealing with the other castes, idk doesnt quite fit for me

What about CC firewarriors (Earthwarriors now i suppose) Keep the core of the firewarrior together but do some pose changing and weaponswaps (Im thinking Eldar or SM Swords)

Correct me if im wrong but the revolution started in weapon production factories, especially the firewarrior armour production. And for the most part the troops had to stay mobile to avoid a full fire caste strike. Idk it seems Fire warrior armour would be perfect for this and give the hardened heavy infantry look your going for

idk my 2cents

sc0ttfree wrote:I think you should fall back onto the counts as kroot built from firewariors, After all fluff wize it doesnt quite fit as well as taking away from the feel of the army.

I thought kroot dealt with the fire caste primarily with some dealing with the other castes, idk doesnt quite fit for me

What about CC firewarriors (Earthwarriors now i suppose) Keep the core of the firewarrior together but do some pose changing and weaponswaps (Im thinking Eldar or SM Swords)

Correct me if im wrong but the revolution started in weapon production factories, especially the firewarrior armour production. And for the most part the troops had to stay mobile to avoid a full fire caste strike. Idk it seems Fire warrior armour would be perfect for this and give the hardened heavy infantry look your going for

idk my 2cents

Hmm, I really like that idea! Of course, the arms holding guns would be difficult to repose, but I could probably do that. Thanks for the idea, man!

P.S. When are you people gonna comment on my painting? The fluff input is really appreciated, but I would like some painting advice/criticism to! Just a minor quibble, though.

I don't have a painting update for you guys, but I did get a about 12 different symbols for the Earth Caste Rebel army. I need to choose which one to use, and I can't decide because I am pretty happy with them all! Which one should I go with?

I'm not too familiar with Tau, but I like numbers 2, 5, 8, and 11. Maybe do the two toned thing for number 8?

i'd say either 6 or 11

I like 7. And looks like it would be fairly easy to paint too, which is helpful on these scales (large circle in symbol colour, two medium circles with basecoat colour, two small circles with symbol colour. Sure, you're waiting for it to dry in the middle, but if you're doing batch it'll be a lot quicker than detailed work).

Morgrim wrote:I like 7. And looks like it would be fairly easy to paint too, which is helpful on these scales (large circle in symbol colour, two medium circles with basecoat colour, two small circles with symbol colour. Sure, you're waiting for it to dry in the middle, but if you're doing batch it'll be a lot quicker than detailed work).

I really like 7, so it looks like that will be my symbol. I will probably paint it on the banners/battlesuits/skimmers...which means I need to back and paint it on my "finished" Devilfish. Oh well, some things never change....

Edit: Oh, and the Count-as Kroot, AKA Earthwarrior, is being worked on today. I am using the FW as a base, but giving them modified lizardmen spears, no shoulder pads, no helmets, and some decorative cloth adornment. I should get pictures up later today.

Update time...

I got the Count-as Kroot (now EarthWarrior) worked on. I still need to add the cloth bits with epoxy/shave the shoulder pad off. I really wanted to make them sleeveless, but I could not think of a way to carve the cloth texture off of their arms with out turning the arms into match-sticks.

I have also got the symbol painted, albeit very roughly, on all the flags. And I have made some progress on the SW and the FW(mainly black lining/highlighting). It has been a slow week...C&C Welcomed!

Earthwarrior:

The flag is still being worked on...

And my SW Blood Claws. I think they are coming along quite nicely!

The Eartwarrior looks pretty cool, looking forward to more updates on him.

Here is a quick update: Got some more work done on the faces last night. For the amount of effort I put into them, I think they look quite nice, since all I did was basecoat scorched leather, highlight with VMC pale flesh, wash with a 50/50 mix of badab black/scorched brown, then painted over that dwarf flesh, then I just kept adding dwarf flesh mixed with successively larger amounts of white/VMC pale flesh. Easy as pie!


Aaand I got some work done on the banners and FW's themselves. I do not have any pics, but I have made some progress on the EarthWarrior; he has been given a hood and a head.

I got some minor progress made on the EarthWarrior. I have only given him a hood...Yep, pretty embarrassing.

Would a Battery pack on the spear work out? I am trying to make the spears a ranged and melee combo, so I figured they could be some sort of conductor for a powerful electric blast.



Please comment, guys & gals! That is why I am posting this stuff, after all.

For the bionics, I would use Necron parts if you want to do a whole limb. Maybe green stuff them to make them more soft and curved, to fit the Tau tech. But good work so far, some good ideas!

No Tau update today, I have been busy working on my SW's and schoolwork. Thankfully, the 6 SW are nearly done, they just need to have their bases drybrushed, plus I need to get a few details finished on them. The 2 I am showing here are done, minus the base drybrush.

(the following text is copied from my Blog, which can be found here> http://blackdogpainting.blogspot.com/" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://blackdogpainting.blogspot.com/ )
"My latest marketing ploy is this: I bought the BEAUTIFUL Island of Blood High elf wizard, which I am going to paint up to my highest quality. I will then take it to my FLGS, and put it in the display cabinet, with a little card/brochure thingy next to it. Hopefully that will generate some interest among the local gamer crew, as every time I go there, I see many bare plastic/metal army's."

^Thoughts, guys?^

I think that most players that don't paint their armies are quite the youngest, so probably won't ba able to afford commissions!!

On a personal point of view, I ever only play with whatever minis I have painted... No bare plastics / metal for me!!!

Yggdrasil wrote:I think that most players that don't paint their armies are quite the youngest, so probably won't ba able to afford commissions!!

On a personal point of view, I ever only play with whatever minis I have painted... No bare plastics / metal for me!!!

Sadly enough, I am the youngest gamer that frequents my FLGS that I know of, and all of the unpainted army's are owned by 20-40 somethings. People are lazy here in the states...

I sometimes play with unpainted, though I always make sure that the unpainted/WIP section of my army is very small.

Ok, then it may seem to be a good idea... Most people by their 20s or 30s get to :
1. Have a girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/etc...
2. Find a job ;
3. Eventually, have children.

Which are 3 very good reasons to keep them away from your paint desk!!! I guess this could explain most of the hobbyists playing with unpainted minis...

So I'd suggest you to begin with VERY low commission prices... Especially at your FLGS, where people can get to give you the minis without paying for shipping, you could make yourself a nice advertisement campaign...

After checking on your website, the prices seem a bit high... I don't know much about usual ones, but you have to be ready to bargain your skills so that people would be tempted to do so...

I don't know, I guess even I could be tempted for something close to 10-15-20$ for a 10-men squad! Who wouldn't want to give it a try? Then, as you improve and get to be known as skilled, fast & reliable, you could slowly raise up your prices!!! You probably won't make a living through this, but it could help!!!

That's just my opinion anyway...

Yggdrasil wrote:Ok, then it may seem to be a good idea... Most people by their 20s or 30s get to :
1. Have a girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/etc...
2. Find a job ;
3. Eventually, have children.

Which are 3 very good reasons to keep them away from your paint desk!!! I guess this could explain most of the hobbyists playing with unpainted minis...

So I'd suggest you to begin with VERY low commission prices... Especially at your FLGS, where people can get to give you the minis without paying for shipping, you could make yourself a nice advertisement campaign...

After checking on your website, the prices seem a bit high... I don't know much about usual ones, but you have to be ready to bargain your skills so that people would be tempted to do so...

I don't know, I guess even I could be tempted for something close to 10-15-20$ for a 10-men squad! Who wouldn't want to give it a try? Then, as you improve and get to be known as skilled, fast & reliable, you could slowly raise up your prices!!! You probably won't make a living through this, but it could help!!!

That's just my opinion anyway...

Weirdly enough, my prices are really cheap when compared to the prices of most studios; the biggest studios charge you $4.00 for a basecoated, and then dipped, model.

Sad thing is, I live about 45 minutes from my FLGS, and only get there once a month, if I am lucky.

I finished on of the Space wolves. I know, it is sad I am proud of that, but I have gotten almost nothing done painting wise this week, I have been feeling burned out. I did make a lot of progress modeling the earthwarrior, and will get pics up soon.

Looking great

Also im pretty pleased with that earthwarrior! (partially cuz i persuaded you into it)

Maybe try a 50/50 mix of helmeted to unhelmeted? Afterall there guys need all the protection they can get

Got some more work done on my Tau Earthwarrior. He is now ready for a paint job, and I am thinking of making the cloth parts white with red markings. I may also do electricity effects coursing across the blade. Any comments/input on the cloth idea?

Mega-update!
It has been a beautiful day. I got up at 10:00 AM, mosied around, and at around 2:00, I got a pleasant surprise in the mail: my High Elf Mage! getting that made me feel pumped, and I have really done nothing more than paint, do my school work, and eat 1 meal today. Ah, the life of the nerd.
So, I got a TON done today: The 2nd FW unit has pretty much been all finished, the Earthwarrior has been basecoated, AND I got started on my "publicity stunt". You know, the High Elf Mage from Island of Blood that I am going to put in my FLGS display cabinet.

With the Mage, I am going for a creamy white/red look. Most of the metal will be gold, and all the gems will be purple.

C&C asked for!



I painted one half of the FW's helmets green, just to add some variation and interest. What do you guys think?

And I also got some work done on the Earthwarrior.

The white on the Mages cape is finished, and the red on his robes are also finished. The blue gems need some more work, the white dots are a little to big on some of them.

I am have a bugger of a time trying to highlight the face; there is so little skin showing it is hard to hit any small details. Any tips/hints on how to paint something like this?

C&C welcomed!