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Oldmanronald,

Painted is always nicer to play with and against than unpainted.

Cheers,

CB

Atalan Jackals with Shotguns

I made some Atalan Jackals, four with shotguns, four with grenade launchers, and four with demolition charges. I added an extra arm so each Jackal can carry all their weapons. Originally, I build them with cultist knives but now think that is not the best configuration. Since I took these pictures, I have cut off some of the arms and replaced them so I have only three with grenade launchers and the rest with shotguns. I now have three squads. Two squads have three jackals with demolition charges and shotguns and a single jackal with a grenade launcher. The other is three shotguns and a grenade launcher. Here is a picture of the four Jackals with shotguns and cultist knives.




Atalan Jackals with Three Shotguns and a Single Autogun

Atalan Jackal with Double Barrel Shotgun

I like the double barrel shotgun.




Atalan Jackal with Double Barrel Shotgun – Left Side View




Atalan Jackal with Double Barrel Shotgun – Rear View


Since the genestealers are a mass army and have so many models, I got sloppy with my details. The sloppy appearance does work with genestealers better than for Space Marines.




Atalan Jackal with Double Barrel Shotgun – Front Right


Notice the tracks on the bases. I used green stuff to make the tire tracks. I highlighted them by using blue pigment loosely mixed with the brownish orange pigment to make it appear that the top surface of the ground had been chewed up by the tire.




Atalan Jackal with Double Barrel Shotgun – Right Side

Atalan Jackal with Shotgun and Mask

He is not fancy but is a good solid model




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun - Front




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Left Side




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Right Side

Jackal Alphus with Sniper Rifle




Jackal Alphus with Sniper Rifle - Right




Jackal Alphus with Sniper Rifle - Left


There is a piece of fiber near the model’s face. That Is a problem of photographing mininatures.




Jackal Alphus with Sniper Rifle - Front




Jackal Alphus with Sniper Rifle - Rear

Atalan Jackal with Autogun

This is another not fancy but a good solid model. The dirty orange and the shiny blue gun metal look good together.




Atalan Jackal with Autogun – Right Front




Atalan Jackal with Autogun – Right




Atalan Jackal with Autogun – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Autogun– Right


I gave him the autogun since I wanted to indicate that he was the leader and only the leader is allowed an autogun. Since I took this picture, I have rebuilt this model so that he carries a shotgun and a demolition charge.

Atalan Jackal with Shotgun




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Left Front




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Left




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Shotgun – Left


I saw some beautiful Atalan Jackals on display at the NovaOpen and was a little envious at how nicely they were painted. On the other hand, mine look more realistic as if they had been struggling and fighting through the dusty desert sand. I have been in this dusty red sand in the deserts of Utah, California, and Arizona.

Atalan Jackals with Grenade Launchers

When I made this unit I forgot that I can only have one grenade launcher for every four bikes. Since I have twelve bikes, I built one too many. Since I took this picture, I have stripped the grenade launcher of one of these bikers and replaced it with a shotgun. It would have been fun to have a fast moving unit with four grenade launchers but no.




Four Atalan Jackals with Grenade Launchers.

Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Left Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Left




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Rear


This picture shows the tire tracks




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Right


Why have only two arms when three arms are better.

Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Right Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Left Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Left



Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Rear


I really like the shotgun he is carrying in his saddlebags.

Second Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher



Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Front


For some reason I forgot the skulls that I have put on all my bases.




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Left Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Left




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Right

Third Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Left Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Left Rear




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher – Right




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Right Front

Atalan Jackals with Demolition Charges
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Atalan Jackals with Demolition Charges –Front




Atalan Jackal with Grenade Launcher - Rear

Some more great additions Oldmanronald.

Cheers,

CB

Display Board for Genestealer Cult


Thanks for the encouragement, Captain Brown.


I like having a display board for my army. It is useful for any type of tournament or to simply store models. Space at tournaments is limited, usually just enough room for the game and a chair for each participant. There is usually no space for the army or for the rule books and other gaming paraphernalia. A display board and a cart to hold the board helps.


A good display board serves three purposes. 1) It is a good holder for the army so that the army is easily moved and stored. 2) It helps keep me from losing models since each model has a designated place so I can visually see if I am missing a model that I may have accidently left on the gaming table. 3) If done right, it shows off the army. Here is the display board that I just built for my Genestealer Cult army.




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army


I wanted the footprint of the board to fit the top of my portable cart and the only way to do so for a mass army like the genestealer cult was to make the display board three and a half levels or stories high. In the past, I have built my display boards from insulation sheets; that is, Styrofoam type sheets that are designed to be put on the walls of a building for insulation. I tried building a display case from just the insulation sheet which works for a one level display but not for a multilevel display since the insulation sheets are so bulky they end up crowding out the space for the models.




One Level Display Board made from insulation Board


Although this display board actually has several levels where the models can be put, I still call it a one level display case because all the models are placed on top of the board. None of the models are placed in a level below the top level.




One Level Display Board with Models


This one level display case has a much larger footprint than the multi-level display case for the Genestealer Cult but holds less models. I did try to build a multi-level display cases purely out of insulation board supported by a wood picture frame but it became too bulky and could only carry a few models for a kill team combat squad.




Multi-Level Display Board – Experiment - Side


This display has too little actual useable surface to hold the individual models. It also had a lot of gaps that I tried to fill in with Mulliput but that got real expensive as Mulliput is not cheap.




Multi-Level Display Board – Experiment – Front


I experimented with building around an old scrap Tyranid model. Finally, because of the problems, I abandoned this project.

Instead I made a three story frame out of plywood and dowels. The floors of each level are plywood. I still used the insulation boards but only for the sides of the walls and for the top level trench work.




Unpainted Top Level of Display Board


See the dowels and the plywood support with the foam boards cut to form the walls of the cave and the trenches and the bunker above. The sand bags are made from Mulliput.

Details of the Display Board for Genestealer Cult




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army on Portable Cart


Except for the two figures on the bunker, all the figures on the top level are brood brothers imperial guard units. The figures in the half level immediately below the top are Genestealers headquarters models. Those in the skull cave are Genestealer Cult Acolyte and Neophyte Hybrids. Those in the bottom are Goliath Rockgrinders and Jackals.




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army - Front




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army – Right


The big side windows gives pretty good access to the models. The front is for display. The side is for access. The windows also allow light into the caves. Interior battery powered backlights supplement the ambient light. These backlights are designed to be hidden from the front but are angled to light up the models. Some of the walls are painted light orange to reflect light.




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army – Left Side


This view shows the backlights in more detail.




Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army – Top Cave on Left Side


Although I used an airbrush to add the colors so that they are blended and rough, the different surfaces have different tints. The front, top, and sides are a blend of the muted orange and burnt umber with a little pure orange highlight. The very back walls are muted orange mixed with white to make them more reflective and bright. The interior walls with the rough cave appearance are painted with a mixture of burnt umber and blue. This gives depth to the caves, especially when viewed from the front.

Further Details of the Display Board for Genestealer Cult




Top of the Display Board with Brood Brothers


This top of the display is for the brood brothers who represent the portion of the army that is not hidden in caves and mines below the ground. The display is bright, both because it is in the direct light from the room and because I painted it with blends of orange and burnt umber with the burnt umber being in the floors of the trenches to give it depth and the muted orange for the surface and light orange for the sand bags and contrasts.




Middle level of Display Board with Skull Cave for the Acolyte and Neophyte Hybrids


This middle level is for the Acolyte and Neophyte Hybrids who wait hidden in caves to burst forth to support the brood brothers and anbush the unwary. Hidden lights illuminate this level.






Bottom Level of Display Board for Genestealer Cult Army for Goliath Rockgrinders and Jackals

Deep in the bowels of this display lurk the Rockgrinders and Jackals waiting for the day of redemption so that they will burst forth spreading terror to the doomed unbelievers. Note how the metallic blue armor and fluorescent green headlights pop in this view. Again, hidden lights illuminate this level.

Awesome Looking board and army; really like the colour scheme. Nice to see ‘stealers in something other than purple.

I'm in awe of that cave board, so very fitting for GSC. Seriously, well done.

Do you have plans to add any more detail to the interior, stalagmites or posters maybe?

That display board is impressive!

The Headquarters Cave of the Display Board for Genestealer Cult


Thank you Denny, Grenb, and Mellon for your encouraging remarks. Although I don’t have any immediate plans to add more detail to the interior, a few more stalagmites would make it more interesting and posters would be great. I’ll have to think about it.


Here are some close-ups from the little cave at the top for the Cult headquarters.




Boy Magus




Girl Magus




Nexos


I realize that Nexos is an elite rather than a headquarters but since he is a more a planning creature rather than a fighting creature he should be in the headquarters cave.


I actually have several other headquarters figures. One is the Patriarch and his Familiar which for some reason I didn’t get a picture of although he is in the middle of the headquarters’ cave. The others are the Jackel Alphus who is in the lower cave with the other Jackals and two Acolyte Iconwards. One iconward is in the headquarters cave and the other iconward is on the top level on the bunker with the Sacred Banner held high for all to see.

The Display Board for Genestealer Cult


I am adding a few more pictures of the display board that I took with my smartphone. Ironically, these may be better than the ones I took with my camera. Both the camera and the smart phone are digital but the camera is several years old and the smartphone is new. It is likely that the smartphone camera has better resolution than my regular camera. I will still use my regular camera since it can do close-ups better and it can be mounted on a tripod.




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – Top


The Brood Brothers make up the bulk of the top level. I do have a Acolyte Iconward and a Sanctus with a silence sniper rifle on the top of the bunker.




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – Top Front


This view shows the Patriarch and other headquarters models in the top headquarters cave.




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – The Skull Cave


The Skull cave has the Acolyte and Neophyte Hybrids.




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – Lower Cave


The Lower Cave has two Goliath Rockginders and the Jackals. The Jackal Alphus is in the front of the cave.




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – Close- Up Lower Cave


The Jackal Alphus is in the front of the cave




The Display Board for Genestealer Cult – Skull Cave and Lower Cave


I am thinking of writing up a tutorial on how I made the display case.

Atalan Jackals with Demolition Charges

Here are four jackals with demolition charges. Since this picture was taken, I removed some of the knife arms and replaced them with shotguns. I also have made more jackals with demolation charges and shotguns from some of my other atalan jackals.




Four Atalan Jackals with Demolition Charges – Front




Four Atalan Jackals with Demolition Charges – Rear

Nice idea with the display case, looks really good. Liking the bikers too, keep up the good work

First Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge


Thank you Maharg for your encouraging words.




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Front




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side

Second Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Front




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side


I forgot to put some skulls on his base.




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Rear




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Left Side




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Left Front

Third Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Rear


I really like the shotgun hanging from the right pack on this model.




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side


This jackal has a spare demo charge in his left pack.




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side


This picture has a nice view of his shotgun.

Fourth Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge -Left Side




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge - Right Side




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Front Right Side




Atalan Jackal with Demolition Charge – Front Left Side

Return to My First Love


I have pretty much finished building my Genestealer Cult army with a display case. It has been an interesting lesson in painting models, especially with its orange with complimentary blue scheme. Even though it has been fun, I found myself missing my Servitors of the Unnamed Chapter.




Dark Talen over Eliminator Squad in Ruins


Who are the Servitors of the Unnamed Chapter?


After the Lord High Admiral had been frustrated dealing with arrogant chapter masters each time he asked for fleet support, he demanded creation of his own space marine chapter to do the grubby little missions that these chapter master had refused to do. Unlike the other chapters, however, this chapter was not at first created from their own or a single predecessor chapter’s gene-seed. Instead The Master of the Administratum responded by requesting that each chapter provide one or more units of their best space marines to be permanently transferred to this new chapter. The chapter masters took advantage of this request to rid themselves of all their troublemakers, hot-dogs, and embarrassments. Thus, this chapter started as an unholy mix of irreverent space marines, mellow blood angels, and fun loving dark angels. Many of these were bitter at being removed from their former chapters to which they had devoted their lives and being forced to serve with equally demoralized strangers.


This chapter gained a reputation, unusual among space marines, of being ill-disciplined and unruly. In response, the Lord High Admiral stripped them of the use of heraldic uniforms and insignia. Instead, these fleet space marines were dressed in a dull camouflage uniform more typical of scouts or Imperial Guards. In final insult, the Lord High Admiral refused to name a space marine as the chapter master but instead assigned the position to General Quantum Wells, an aging military bureaucrat who had distinguished his career by avoiding risks, factious attention to obscure regulations, and petty military politics. Thus, assignment to this chapter was a dirty duty with little glory, much boredom, and ugly and extremely dangerous missions.


Although the chapter was organized under code name of the 157th Security Detachment, no formal name was ever assigned. The individual members of this unnamed chapter often referred to themselves as the servitors. The members of the un-named chapter started to sarcastically refer to themselves as the servitors after Chaplain Jambalaya “Dry” Bones gave a rather unfortunate and maudlin sermon on the Dying Servitor. At first, they referred to themselves as the Servitors because they felt that their own chapters had rejected them. In time, however, they called themselves servitors to represent their willingness to submit themselves to the Emperor’s will in all things just as a servitor submits to the most humble of tasks.


I play this army either as space marines or as dark angels. When I use them as dark angels I play them as regular dark angels rather than as a successor chapter so that I can use the named characters. I have built several new models including a new Dark Talon, an Eliminator Squad, and a Repulsor Executioner


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Repulsor Executioner with Glowing Macro-Plasma Incinerator




Eliminator Squad in Sector Imperial Ruins

Getting A head in Space Marines– Puppet War Heads

I love painting human heads on War gaming models. Although it would be more realistic to build space marines with helmets, I almost always built the models with bare heads. Models with bare heads are much more expressive and interesting than the models with helmets.


Games Workshop usually provides their models with both helmets and with bare heads. The Games workshop bare heads are nice and look pretty good. Lately, however, I have been replacing their heads with heads that I ordered from Puppet Wars in Poland. Whoever these Puppet Wars artists are, they sculpture their heads with inspired, imaginative, and dynamic features that are a creative leap from the traditional heroic model style typical of war gaming miniatures. I love these Puppet War heads.


Puppet Ward heads are made from resin (the material that GW calls finecast). Resin has its problems. Resin models are often distorted so that flat surfaces become round and round surfaces twisted. The casting requires lots of lead lines so there is a lot of bling to cut away on each model. The mold lines are terrible and require a lot of scraping to remove.


Still resin loves paint and paint loves resin. I am not sure why but I think that the sharp edges on a resin model pick up paint much better than either metal or the standard modeling plastic. So the details on a resin heads really pop. Because the heads are small, the disadvantages of resin is negligible and the mold lines and the bling are easily cut away. Since resin heads look especially good, models with the Games Workshop plastic bodies and Puppet Wars resin heads are exciting. Here are some of my latest models.




Ravenwing Dark Talon with Puppet War Mohawk head on the Pilot


I left the canopy off so that the head can easily be seen. The head is one of the Puppet Wars Mohawk heads.




Close-Up of Ravenwing Dark Talon Pilot with Puppet War Mohawk head




Repulsor Executioner Tank Commander with Puppet War Officer’s Head




Eliminator with Bolt Action Rifle and Puppet War Hooded Head