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Awesome, Migs. I am reading Prospero Burns right now so I am especially excited. Having read Thousand Sons before, I had developed a rather negative impression of the Sons of Russ, but I am coming around.

The Blizzard theme is appropriate, and should give you plenty of satisfying challenges to overcome.

Using the Horus model as a "regular" Wolf Lord, though? And not a Primarch? Yeah....that's a whole new take on scale. What will you do when (eventually) a Primarch Wolf-King model comes out? I look forward to you "up-scaling" that.

Awesome, man. What an atypical (yet somehow typical for you) use of the Primarch models. I'm excited to see these new flesh tones and reds, too--what a great contrast they will be to your moonlit Legion figures, too.

I can't wait to see the conversions, and hopefully given your one-a-month plan, you will have some new Primarch models to work with along the way as well.

 migsula wrote:

 Apologist wrote:
Fantastic to see you back on the horse,
...

Waiting with baited breath on the first of the Vlka Fenryka! Any plans for Abnett-style leather masks etc.? I always thought that was a great touch and would provide a great opportunity for freehand knotwork.

Thanks Mate!

Yes, there are plans for leather masks in places It's an interesting detail to balance as there hasn't been a miniature or artwork representation really. I've been sketching and thinking about it though. At least the human models in the project will get leather masks of some kind. At least some of them..

I am excited to hear this. I really liked Abnett's idea of the leather masks and also the laquered hair, thus:

“By then, Aun Helwintr had felt the terrible forces that had been released in the temple precinct. Ominous in his pelt and his long black cloak, his white hair twisted and lacquered into horns, he stepped into the crystal hall behind us, forming with his hands the warding gestures that all rune priests are taught, the gestures of banishment and aversion. ”

Excerpt From: Dan Abnett. “Prospero Burns.” iBooks.

Any thoughts of attempting this? I guess it might look cheesy, but could contribute to the intimidating "war visage" effect.

Further, given the prophesy you have quoted at the beginning, might you look to create a Heresy-era "Bear" (Bjorn) either one-handed, or "fell handed"? That would be exciting to behold.

Fantastic man, thanks for the photos! I understand what you are saying about the photograph not capturing the difference in texture properly, but it's impressive nonetheless. With the cracks in the massive battle axe, there isn't a "glow" effect--did you do that intentionally? It might detract from the realistic overall appearance, but might add a different type of highlight to draw the eye.

I really like the spots of color too, especially the detail on the power claws--they really contrast to the 100 Shades of Grey....nice tie in to your Inquisition unit too, unintentional or not. Wolf Lord indeed, though--a scale shot (even with your Alpharius models?) would be awesome.

 migsula wrote:
Thanks mate! Much appreciated.

Axe is intentional, what isn't captured very well, is I've used a tamiya snow weathering powder to gently frost the metal, and the see the black cracks as veins of darkness and ice that make the blade so lethal.

Scale shot is a must! I will do that soon, probably with some WIP stuff to share this weekend.

BTW, do you have any experience of the Ammobunker forums? I've heard great things and as I am looking for an active discussion around the blog, I decide to give it a go:

http://s3.zetaboards.com/The_Ammobunker/topic/7697037/1/

Thanks Migs, for the clarification. I did go back and stare at the axe some more, and can see some of the "frost" you describe. It does look brutal and very hard, but somehow not very sharp...no criticism but it's not "shiny" like a lot of weapons are. That's cool; just a stylistic observation. Looks like something "The Kurgan" would carry...beaten out of meteoric iron or something. (Sorry for the obscure Highlander reference)

The text on the "oaths of moment" on his chest is amazing, too--great job getting some runes in there to break up the surface.

Fun times! I love the bone animal masks--very Abnett. And it's awesome to see the "toy" space marine, stacked on top of 3 Terminator bases, and its own base, and still looking ridiculously small. Well done on sticking to your ideology of scale.

Good call on the "real life" thickness of that (and others) axe blade--still it reminds me of medieval weapons I've seen in castles and so on. Smash somebody in the head with that thing, or on the collarbone, and you're going to cleave things. Anyway, it looks brutal, and dangerous, and that fits with the narrative you've written perfectly.

Anyway, as painting progresses, I do hope to see some more flesh tones--you were very excited about that initially, and there are some cool Space Wolf faces. Going with the Abnett fluff, I would love to see some "snout-like" ones. Exaggerated fangs are a characteristic he describes more than once, and it adds to the bestiality of their appearance.

Epic--I love the face, and the ferocity it expresses. The shield is great, and I love the way you have incorporated the Thunderwolf onto the (massive) base.

My only criticism is the choice of the Dark Angels sword. Is this intentional--perhaps taken as a trophy from a defeated DA champion when re-fighting the Lion/Russ match? Otherwise, I think an axe would probably fit better for a warrior of the Rout.

And to chime in on the size issue, Vulkan is supposed to be the biggest Primarch, in terms of raw size and strength. Not sure how that might factor into an army composition but figured I'd mention it.

It IS definitely a large, scary (and sharp--good point, Migs, especially given the earlier discussion of how dull the axes are) sword! I don't dislike it; just recognized it and wondered about the choice. Certainly for game play it makes sense to have it as a sword--the Power Axe/Maul/Sword rules are significant to be sure.

Anyway, in fluff terms, I do like the concept that he took it off a Dark Angels champion after fighting the rematch challenge--of course, it could just be a scary sword.

Going back to the Primarch discussion, I got the size reference from the HH novel "Vulkan Lives" where it states it explicitly. Of course, as pointed out, that could just be the novelist's assertion. The model is certainly bulky--his shoulder armor is very like the Dreadnought greaves and compared to Fulgrim or Lorgar, he's clearly bigger. Angron also looks pretty huge, though, and his aggressive charge posture would look pretty good on a Wolf Guard...

I really love the Jarl and his Wolf. The use of the red as a spot color (even on the wolf's mouth) really helps--this is a big model after all--and I especially like the wolf emblem on the right shoulder. The sword looks terrific at the end of the day, and the Daemon head also works, in part because of the red again. I think the pool of blood will only add in this regard and will be a nice contrast to the very urban and realistic looking base.

I love the whiteness of the bones--very realistic--and the intensity and ferocity on his face is great. Great fangs, too.

My only question would be whether you want to tie in a different spot color on the wolf's bionic eye. Yellowy orange? Blue doesn't really feel right, but it strikes me that something there would brighten and break up the wolf, and also draw the eye to the face.

Anyway, fantastic as always, and I love it that you are delegating the tedium of assembly and priming, but saving the fun painting for yourself! Great use of time which, as you have pointed out, is limited. I also am very glad that you are running with the concept, and that your energy and enthusiasm are so high! Keep it up! Hopefully Forge World will give you another couple of good Primarch Models that you can adapt.

If not, your plans of the Mechanicum, thrall/wolf/servitors, and Imperial troops can surely keep you busy and pleased, and will be a joy to behold no doubt. The red will work with Mechanicum, but any thoughts of coloration on the Imperial troops? You always do a great job of making the entire force coherent, and I look forward to seeing the 2000-point army come together!

Good stuff, man. I really liked the shot of the two models together on the Legion of Plastic site. It's going to be so fun watching it come together. It's pretty ambitious, too. 2000 points is a lot in 40k, so it's impressive that you are shooting high.

Thanks for the detailed explanation of your method; omitting a primary color is really an interesting self-imposed rule. Guess you've got to challenge yourself. I did see "more" in your base looking at it following your explanation, too. I actually have red-green color blindness, and I know that disadvantages me sometimes, especially when it comes to greys, browns, and, ironically, pinks--which look the same to my brain. But I definitely can see the contrast of the base with the greys on the Space Wolf and the Wolf, now that you point it out--that is another feature of color blindness. If you tell me it's a certain color, I can go "Oh yeah...and my brain can see it once it's pointed out."

Anyway, I'm glad your muse is working.

I love the animal masks, especially on the big guy. (Man, that Nurgle model gets around!) Are you going to try cowls as described in "Prospero Burns?"

The Cairn Wraith conversion doesn't seem to fit in to me, though. I am sure you can tie it in with the paint scheme, but it seems very high-tech (the "tail" and the fact that it's floating) unlike the almost shamanistic feel of the other models.

Ha. He-Man. Yeah, I can see that @Bruticus. By the power of Fenris!

I think the big difference between this model (it's a Thunderwolf Cavalry model, right?) and the Fenrisian wolves (which I really like) is the bulk. This one is much bulkier, and its pose is more static, whereas the Fenrisian wolves are lithe and bounding. I've used them as mounts for some old Wood Elf Wild Riders, actually (I really need to post some photos on here, so you guys can see what I do, and maybe gain a bit of credibility with my posts and observations) where I converted them with a bit of a forest theme.

So, in that light, Migs is going for size, and this wolf is certainly monstrous in size, matching the Primarch-Wolves. I like the cybernetic eye to be sure, and that detracts from any Fantasy monster aspect in my opinion.

And certainly, the Wulfen Skin Wolves will be exciting to see.

I hear you @Amadeus, but Migs says on his Legion of Plastic blog that these are 2 out of a total planned 10 "Wolf Guard in Terminator Armour" for play purposes. So I expect we'll see it come together as Christmas approaches.

In terms of the new models, I love the basing on the Wulfen--really great added height, and a dynamic and threatening pose. The hunched pose of the Priest is also threatening (and vaguely Death Guard-like...undoubtedly the influence of the Eye of Terror).

As always, an extremely fun process to watch--thanks for the update, Migs; I like your commitment to update us on Mondays. Gives me something else to look forward to as I go back to work.

Well, they're certainly big! I love it, and the bone on the Priests & Thralls (don't know which is which, actually) is really a great contrast to the greys. The aggressive, threatening poses continue to really look good--the Wolves are going to be scary as a unit!

 migsula wrote:
Thanks for the comments and book suggestions guys!

Malika, I'm not even clicking the link, because I know it's Curze and he is already on his way to be turned into a Void Claw pack leader

That's very exciting. I really like this Curze model too--I think it's my favorite Primarch model since the Angron model that came out first. Nice, threatening pose, withdrawn but ready to spring into action. And not TOO big, which also fits the fluff. Can't wait to see what you do with him.

Man, that is exciting--getting a squad of 5 converted Primarch models and a wolf lord! Crazy ambitious, admirably so. I really am looking forward to seeing the unit.

How are you going to bulk out your points cost for the Las Vegas tournament? Any thoughts on the list composition? Vehicles have to make up some of it and you seemed to zoom through the Alpha Legion vehicles with no trouble so that should help you in terms of time. But what about other models? How are the Terminators coming?

 migsula wrote:
Warboss: Haven't got Curze yet, but will post photos when I do!

Panther legionnaire: In the squad of five, I only used Horus. Rest are Gal Vorbak and a Myrmidon. All Forge world. Second squad will be Curze, more Vorback, a heavily converted Arjac and a bit more extreme case of Wulfen.

For the tournament, the plan is to get to two squads of 5 "terminators", a squad of thunderwolves to run with the Jarl, drop pods and a thunder wolf, a dreadnought and then use some of the Legion Mechanicus elements as allied marines, to be replaced by Space Wolf versions of the same models in due time, but not by February. It's very ambitious, but sort of doable, if the Christmas holiday ends up being as productive as it sometimes is.

That sounds possible to be sure. I wondered about the Mechanicus models too, and that makes perfect sense. Thanks for the clarification about the units and Primarch components--all Forge World is still pretty awesome, especially given the extent to which you have converted the models. I think that's awesome; the only Forge World conversion I have done is making the two Legion Apothecary models into a BA Sanguinary Priest and then a Dark Angels Apothecary. So, raising the bar again, Migs.

Hey, on a different note, I thought of you when I saw the new Forge World Contemptor. Pretty cool, actually, in my opinion--what do you think? Does Alpharius need a Contemptor?



How about a Dreadnought for these Vika Fenryka? Too bad none of the Space Wolf models have come out yet...I am in the same boat with my BA, and DA, unfortunately.

Thanks for the updates and photos! I have also been following the other blog, and will continue to do so. Great to see that you got some quality painting time in over the holidays!

Man, thanks very much. As usual, it's great to get some insight into your creative process, and I still love the textual references and links to the Abnett novel. I wonder if he's seen your work...

In terms of the new models, I think they are going to help you with some of the color additions you discussed wanting to include. Having the Terminators with faces (and especially hair) visible instead of helmets/masks is going to add in that respect, and the variety of accoutrements on the "Wyrd company"--Falcon (not a raven, but still cool--isn't there a raven with the Warhammer Battle Wizard? Maybe not...), entrails, antlers, banner, etc.--is also going to add non-grey elements. I would consider making the (Marauder) helmets on these guys leather, if you are not opposed to having Browns on these models. That would also bring in a contrasting color.

Excited to see the project continue!

Yeah, @Amadeus, you are right: the Giant DID have one. I have it sitting on a Nurgle Chaos Warrior Musician, I remember now.

The color additions sound great--red and grey go great together.

Fantastic! I agree with the post on Iron Sleet that the bare hands are great. You've done exactly what you intended here, bringing in new (brighter) colors in the form of bone, leather, hair, and skin.

The closeup image of the (Ghal Vorbak model) is great too--the effects of the warp clearly include "breastplate damage." The helmet and aggressive pose definitely bring a ferocity to the model. The flying braid on Wargjeger also lends a dynamism to the model.

The "fade" of semi-metallic skin texture going up to the bionic eye on the banner bearer is my favorite part, I think.

This blog is a regular "Monday treat" for me, Migs, so I echo the others when I say that you shouldn't be discouraged. Time difference for me (in Southeast Asia) makes it hard for me to be online when anyone else is, so discussions don't really happen. However, your work is definitely an inspiration, and since I also live in a Gaming desert, and am largely unable to play, I appreciate your commitment to continuing to work on your models for the aesthetic satisfaction. I use that as motivation to continue to work on my army(ies) and I agree with you about the satisfaction of working in rare "stolen time."

So, please keep it up! I check Iron Sleet too, but don't really know how to comment over there. Plus, with all our Usernames (not that I think it's a bad system) you don't really know who I am, so that makes it a little less satisfying; I like to think you at least recognize me on this forum, and that that makes my comments more relevant.

Awesome looking guys. I really like seeing your work in progress, especially the effects of the airbrush. I've never used one; only brushes, and so it's interesting to see the effect of using it part-way through. I look forward to comparing and contrasting the images once you finish these models.

As a side note, your photography of your models is also really great. I tried to take some photos of some of my models, thinking about finally starting up my own blog on this site, and they were really not very good. Do you have a tripod? The other thing I am struggling with is getting my aperture to stay open long enough. Anyway, I'd be very interested to hear how you do it.

Lovely stuff man! I have been away, but exciting to return to new images! Taken with an iPhone, too! Thanks for the link to the tutorial--I'll check it out. Have fun at the invitational!

I love the new models, and I totally agree with you about the need to find a balance between building, painting, and finishing individual models and units. I totally do not have that balance right now and, as a result, haven't done any of anything for about 6 weeks. Glad to see that the muse is still strong for you, and I wish you continued perseverance and inspiration as you proceed.