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Looking pretty cool, I really like the dread too. Keep up the nice work!

pie_2054 wrote:About the drop pod:
Why not make it open in the middle?
The bottom parts folds outwards, and you can either glue the top shut, or do something else.

That's what I'd intended to do. Basically cut the door at the bend, the bottom part swings down on the normal hinge to act as a ramp, the top part swings up on a hinge of my manufacture or perhaps just pinned in place. Should be a fairly straight-forward conversion.


Some progress to report in-between the hail and tornadoes... got the spikey bitz on the kneeling tranquility sniper. Should be able to resume painting tomorrow once everything is secure and cured. No photo, sorry, wait until tomorrow when I get more of the painting done.

What paint job are you intending for the drop pod, Gitsplitta?

It'll be the same type of camo, but I'm toying with the idea of taking it up into a silhouette of the horizon and eventually the sky.

Jeez... I need my head examined... as if this project wasn't complicated enough.



So, I have a question for you guys. Up until this point I have not been "edge highlighting" the Tranquility Snipers. No particular reason... just not sure it'll go well with the blending and camo pattern. However, I know that the edge highlights are one of those things that makes models pop and stand out a bit more, and seem to be one of those things you find on the more finely painted models. So I'm wondering if I should try it out. Problem is once I do it, it's mighty hard to undo it... so I am a little cautious. I did edge highlight my greens (trooper and dread), and that looks fine, just not sure about the snipers...

Thoughts?

I'm sure it'll be fine. You might wan't to practice it out on some spare sprues you have lyin' around.

Practice on some orks, even if you mess em up, no bid deal

It's not really the "can I do it" part I'm worried about... I know I can do it... just trying to decide if it's appropriate. I know... I'll practice on the one Whalemusic built... that way if I screw the pooch on it I don't have to live with it!

Sheer genius!





Edited twice because I thought I misspelled a word, fixed it, then realized that I did not misspell the world and hand to change it back again... *sigh* I need a drink.

Thats cool, Ill get revenge on your TS marines

There will be a brief interruption in the Mantis Warriors while I do some last minute frantic ork painting for Saturday's tournament.

Lol I didn't really realise that there wasn't any highlighting.

Well, the highlights in the armor plates are integral in the blending... but their aren't the "edge highlights" so common in 40k painting. Will experiment with that when I finish my current emergency painting (grotz & a big mek).

Oh talk about awesome stuff. The silencers are just the tits. Very cool stuff on here

Thanks KingCracker!

Well, the wheels of progress should start rolling again tonight. After last weekend's tournament they announced the next tournament in the series... only 1000 points! I'm seriously thinking that I might be able to get 1000 pts of the "new" Mantis Warriors painted by then, even without the extra bits. I drew up a list trying to make the most out of what was already painted or was easily repainted. Took 3 dreads (including the completed one and the rifleman), a mid-sized unit of sternguard, some scouts w/ LS Storms and my MoTF. So I'm going to be busy and hopefully fairly productive over the next 4 or 5 weeks. It's supposed to be kind of lousy weather here over a good part of the holiday weekend so perhaps I'll have something significant to show for myself in a few days.

YES! Finally, the MoTF we've all been waiting for!

Picture

[So I'm going to be busy and hopefully fairly productive over the next 4 or 5 weeks. It's supposed to be kind of lousy weather here over a good part of the holiday weekend so perhaps I'll have something significant to show for myself in a few days.

Finally have some progress to show!

Probably doesn't look like much, but I picked out most of the details, still have a bit of work to do, but this is the final stage before adding the camo pattern.

Looking good! How did you do the scopes?

Have we seen these before? The silencer on the bolt pistol seems a bit long? (not really a good time to mention this - what with your excellent paint progress! Sorry...)

This may just be me, but the bayonets seem unnecessary since the silencers extend well beyond the bayonet point.

You need to take up the suppressor on the bolt pistol and the short bayonet with Whalemusic360... that was his build. May not be practical in every detail, but I think that figure looks very cool. I make sure to extend my bayonet beyond the end of the silencer by several scale inches, which I figure would be enough. They are there as much for aesthetic balance as practical use.

Keep in mind that these are leaf-shaped blades... not intended for thrusting... wouldn't be any good at it. Couple of inches of penetration maximum before armor, bone, etc would stop the progress of the blade. Those are slashing/chopping blades. As to the over-sized flash suppressor, I imagine by the time hand-to-hand combat has ensued... the flash suppressor is moot anyway.


In other words... just roll with it! :-)

As Git said, not all bayonets are made for pokeing. In this case it is for slashing. Plus it is a little plastic man in super armor, I think the realistic factor is out the window.

I hadn't even noticed the bayonets Silencers usually detach right? (and are probably a liability at close quarters too - whoops - Git beat me to that!) Still, as my education on all things military is the media - all my comments are my personal aesthetic only. (Though sometimes aesthetics are based on reality - even if my filtered reality isn't actual reality...)

I prefer (and have no issue with) the bayonet on the right. I prefer (and actually think is quite striking) the pose on the left. In fact - I think the left would look perfect (as opposed to just great) minus the bayonet and a shorter silencer on the bolt pistol.

Having said that, the only opinion that matters here is Git's - his blog, (now) his model

Everyone's opinions on the models, painting and ideas expressed here are welcome. Even if I disagree with you, I value the input and am honored by your willingness to give it.

And your right Arakasi, it's a great pose... Whalemusic has a real talent for model construction.

Did you mention how you did the bayonets, git? And nice painting

The bayonet on the right is the one I did. It is simply the bayonet from the standard dark eldar gun, painted black so it matches the leaf pattern of the rest of the camo. The other blade on that gun is what I make the right forearm blade out of.

and thanks... hope to move them along today to the next stage (camo). Will put pics up when I do.

@Inmygravenimage: Put the answer to your question (and some thoughts) on your blog. In short, they're cannibalized from some sniper rifles that I purchased off the net.

These are really cool! I can't wait to see a finished squad!

Been a long while since I've posted anything substantive... but finally, got one of the sternguard done. The other is fully painted save for the camo, which I hope to work on tomorrow night. I was hoping to get them both done this weekend, but with family visiting, the holiday and all... didn't quite make it. Not the kind of thing I want to try and rush through in any case.

Hope they'e worth the wait!

Fabulous job! I love it!

Nice, the camo pattern really makes it unique and interesting.