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Right now with no computer there's no way to be sure, but I think I could easily field 2500 pts. I have no specific goal save to paint the units that represent the chapter as I see it. Also I plan to build two different eras, Badab era a d post crusade. I'll guess about 5000 pts Badab era & 3000 pts post-crusade.

There are summary posts all linked from the OP, you might check those out for a quick and dirty crash course.

I like it.

@whalemusic how about nifty?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I like it.
@whalemusic how about nifty or hunky-dory?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry I didn't realise it had already posted.

Now that my post-GenCon fugue is starting, I have two comments:

1) I agree with a previous poster. Put the Batreps where they belong, and put the lead picture HERE, with a link to the actual Battle Report.

2) I do not understand why Forge world has not personally contacted Gits, and thanks him for single-handedly pimping the entire Badab War.

--Brian, reporting from Indianapolis.

Hey Brian, can do on the bat reps no problem.

While I appreciate the sentiment, as big as this blog may seem in the dakkasphere, it doesn't even register in the greater gaming world. The only "fame" or noteriety I'm ever going to get is going to come from you, my dear readers. (which is good enough for me)

I hope to be able to post a pic of the finished bike sergeant tomorrow. I just can't stop fiddling with him as I work on the rest. Since it may be some time before I can post regular updates again, I'm batch painting the rest of the bikes. I just do one color or one object at a time on all four bikes until I'm done.

The more I work with them, the more I love them.



Oh hey... Can someone post pics of the Badab era Space Shark paint schemes? Did they have a camo pattern? I'm thinking of the old RT patterns, or the stuff found in the compendium.

Thanks!

Ninja'd while I was checking my spinning magnotron outside, and yes they had a tranquility camo scheme, IIRC it was yellow with spiked vine patterns.

Here's one with your boys:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nClWPKP0-e4/SoeRd8p-USI/AAAAAAAAAZo/e-SV0uSniQw/s320/badab-hammerheads-compare.jpg

btemp: can you see that one?

@ Git - Those marine costumes where used for a music film clip that featured in some editions of the space hulk game and again in the game Final Liberation by a group called D-Rok a GW licensed I think the
album was called either Let the Galaxy Burn or Oblivion. The Marine suits were made for motion and still promotions (comic book adds etc) in the UK, EUR, AUS and Asisa.

Well done Santobell! How'd you find all that out??

Update: boltgun metal is done, red is partially done. One bike is slightly different than the rest, interesting. (the sculpting I mean)

Not sure how much time I'm going to have to paint over the next two weeks but we'll see.

That will do nicely, sorry for he duration, internet got shut off for the fifth time this week.

Thanks for the assist everyone, bieng without my compendium and having an internet connectiton that blocks jus about everything fun.

Here's a shot of the completed scout bike sergeant. Really like him. I think the unit is going to be spectacular.

I played shading games under the bike so there is a shadow. First shadow was done by shining a bright light directly above the bike and then putting delvan mud everywhere the actual shadow was, then a wash of badab black in the deepest shadows. the further into the shadow you get, the darker color the foliage, the further out towards the edge of the base, the lighter the foliage. Don't know if all that amounted to anything... but I gave it a shot.

samwellfrm wrote:I approve. I really like the idea of a two-tone army.

It made me think of this song :



A cookie goes to whoever remembers which 90's Nickelodeon cartoon had this song in its intro.

Iiiiiiiiiitssss Kablam!!!! haha I remember that show, love ska music....and these mantis warriors! woot woot!

Looks brilliant, like how you did the shadow, without relying on the "real thing" happening, adds an extra level of realism to the model.

I also like the angle of the arm with the blade, looks like he is measuring up to take someones head as he overtakes them on his jetbike.

That's awesome, Gits. Great job on the lightning bolts across the mini. I have a question about the squad. Are all the jetbikes at the same height off the ground? Or do they vary? I can't recall from the earlier pictures and for all I know you've changed them a bit. But are some riding higher than others or are they all about the same? I only ask because it looks as though, If he were to come across a slightly larger rock at full speed it could spell disaster. Still looks awesome, though.

Thanks dantay! I think that's just a standard army for the scout bike... but I'm certainly glad everyone likes it. It does have that "lining up for a shot" feel to it.

@Moltar: They're all over the place. I wanted to give the impression of a bunch of free spirits zooming across the battlefield, so I did one popping a wheelie, others zooming left or right, etc. Below is an early WIP. The squad should look great together. I assume that altitude control is one of those things they do as needed. Also, since I'm running these as bikes and not jet bikes... I didn't really want them to look as if they were flying... just zooming over the surface of the ground without wheels, though they can elevate if necessary.

Honestly Git, I am... not sold on these models. I can admit that the execution is up to your high standards, but the models feel awkward to me...

I guess it must be the jetbikes, I'm not thrilled by their look, to say the least... But well, it has that "old school" feel you keep imprinting to your MW, so I guess I'm the one who's wrong!

From a technical point of view, kudos for the blade highlight (you really mastered your airbrush uh?), the various freehands around (lightning, MW icon) & the shading below the jetbike... It really shows!

I see. I remembered the guy popping the wheelie, but wasn't sure about the others.

I know what Yggs means too. I don't think he's, "wrong," but to me, they're that lovable awkward that only early GW could produce and I think they'll look great with your other MWs.

Part of the issue for me which might be what you're responding to Yggs... is that I just can't get the figure that is made to be semi-reclining on a modern bike, to look right on a bike that is really a lean forward kind of bike. In my mind, the rider of these bikes should be in a 10-speed (OK, they don't make 10-speeds any more)... a racing bike (with ram's horn handle bars) pose... in a deep crouch, leaning over the bars with knees bent and the feet resting on those wings behind the driver.

Problem is the GW bikers are all in a sitting straight up, tricycle pose. I'm simply not able to do a major resculpt of the entire body (or frankly any part of it) to make the current figures fit the bike properly. (and frankly the original bikers didn't fit the bikes properly either)

So this is the best I can do or will *ever* be able to do. Since I've been sitting on these bikes for nearly 20 years... I'm just not willing to do it any more for a figure that I know will never be created or a modification that I know I'll never be able to make.

This is how I think it should look... more or less.

Those bikes are sick! they have a starwarsy feel imho, which is good. also, back from vacation so have internet access again!

Well, it probably would've been too much indeed...

Still, Moltar brings up a good point with the "lovable awkward" description.... I pretty much sums it up!

Hey Gits, don't you let us down on that uh?! You're going to finish that squad anyway, it will look rather "awkwardly lovable" in the end!!!

Plus, the dynamic poses are great too!

Thanks dajobe.

As with most of my figs I always seem to be messing with new techniques. Here we tried:

- continuing to refine the use of the airbrush to make good sword gradients. For some reason I don't like the extreme, reversing light to dark gradients (having done one, successfully I think) so this is an intermediate accommodation where the spine is a solid dark color and the blade goes from dark to light, with the actual cutting edge getting the white highlight. I like it because it sets the blade apart from the body of the weapon. Am anxious to try this with a normal (grey-scale) weapon. Guessing that he blade depth needs to be substantial to make this work.
- first African-American face attempt & used the dakka "painting faces my way" tutorial. I think I did a poor job on the techniques expressed in the tutorial, but it's not horrible and you've got to start somewhere right?
- putting a shadow on the base (already explained)
- used my little micro pens to accentuate some of the lines of shadow at various places around the model. This is a little nerve wracking as when you first use the pen the lines are very dark (they fade a bit when they dry) and you think to yourself... "My God, I've just wrecked the model!" That didn't happen though and I'm quite pleased with the result. I didn't line every single shadow or seam, just the one's that needed a bit more definition.

This has also been quite the foray into OCD. Every time I look at it I feel the need to fiddle with it. The model's been finished no less than 6 times and it's only my busted computer that prevented me from putting up one or more of the earlier versions. The last thing that's bothering me is the need to put pennants or banners on the homing beacon which looks kind of naked just hanging out there. Will have to get in a proper GSing mood before I take that one on.



OOps, Ninja'd...

OH yeah Yggs, will continue working on it until it's done. Since I'm working on all of the 4 remaining bikes concurrently, updates might be sparse... but this remains my primary project for the time being. I'm all for lovably awkward... pretty much an autobiography there.

Love the jet bike, very old school indeed.

Gitsplitta wrote:- putting a shadow on the base (already explained)

Hot damn! I didn't even notice it at first, as it just seamed part of the lighting. but not that you pointed it out, it makes for a nice, subtle touch.

BTW, Bill from Reedsburg will be coming over to my house Wednesday night after work for a "hopefully" short 1000 point game as I teach him the basics of 5th edition. If you're in the area, your welcome to stop by .

@GiraffeX: Thanks my friend.

@wyfox: Yeah, I guess what I didn't point out (about the shadows) is that the lighting for those pictures are coming from the sides more than above (actually about 35 degrees up on either side). So most of the shadow under the bike is artificial, though you can really only see the painted aspect of it in the top shot under the nose of the bike where it's thinnest & most exposed.

Unfortunately my next two weeks are pretty much booked. I have to work on the boat tonight... electrical system foul-ups. Hopefully nothing more than cleaning some connections and a battery charger can fix. Do you know what army he's got?

SW, IG, and Orcs I think.

Cool. Between the three of us we'll all need to learn to develop "all comers" lists, even for friendly games.

Add in Luke's Choas and Ben's Necrons and all were're missing is Eldar, DE, Deamons, BA, DA, and BT. Not too shabby.

I have eldar

How'd you do the skin tone for the guy on the speeder Gits? Looks amazing and I want to try something similar for my Gunnery Sarge Harker...

If you look back where I began the bikes I'd asked about African American skin tones and I think dantay pointed me to a CMON site on ethnic skin tones. No real instructions but they help you pick your colors. Then I followed the "Painting faces my way" tutorial here on dakka. Unfortunately since my computer died and I'm limited to my phone I can't give you direct links. Perhaps one of the other folks can help.