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Hi guys,

I created a marker for vehicle detroyed results as a proof of principle of this tutorial:
http://s3.zetaboards.com/The_Ammobunker/topic/7493864/1/

So all the credits go to DakkaDakka-user Digits with his inspiring army:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/398194.page



It's relatively cheap and easy to do if you own a hot glue pistol and an airbrush (coloured spray paint).

Have fun!

Looks damn nice. I need to make a few of those.

Your paint job is really nice. I especially love the chapter symbols on the tank.

But the explosion marker doesn't really look like an explosion. I think if you hadn't told me what it was supposed to be, I might not have known. I think the orange-y spots, in particular, are killing it for me. The way they are done makes it look like they are painted on the outside of the column of smoke rather than coming from within it. I also think that the smoke is a little too brownish, but that might just be the way it looks on my screen. Personally, I would make the smoke either significantly darker or lighter. Either way would work, since smoke comes in both extremes. I think lighter would make it more clear what you are trying to show, while darker would be more realistic.

I wonder if it isn't the base which is hurting the look? I've seen these done before where the hatch on the vehicle is removable and the marker 'plugs' into it. That, I think, might help quite a bit.

That being said, I also think it's better than any method I could come up with. It's a great start to an awesome game aid.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Your paint job is really nice. I especially love the chapter symbols on the tank.

But the explosion marker doesn't really look like an explosion. I think if you hadn't told me what it was supposed to be, I might not have known. I think the orange-y spots, in particular, are killing it for me. The way they are done makes it look like they are painted on the outside of the column of smoke rather than coming from within it. I also think that the smoke is a little too brownish, but that might just be the way it looks on my screen. Personally, I would make the smoke either significantly darker or lighter. Either way would work, since smoke comes in both extremes. I think lighter would make it more clear what you are trying to show, while darker would be more realistic.

I wonder if it isn't the base which is hurting the look? I've seen these done before where the hatch on the vehicle is removable and the marker 'plugs' into it. That, I think, might help quite a bit.

That being said, I also think it's better than any method I could come up with. It's a great start to an awesome game aid.

Thank you for your detailed comment.

A few points though. I can assure you that there is nothing brown on this model. It was sprayed black -> grey -> white.

I want to use the marker for other vehicles too. If I would create something that would fit into the hatch... how would I use it on Rhinos, Vindicator or Landraiders?
It might be not optimal. But this is a simple marker. There is only so much effort I want to invest in this piece. But I will clean up the base.

Maybe I can pull of the fire effects better on the next piece. Thank you for pointing it out.

I think it looks amazing. I hope i do this well on my 3rd or 4th go. Thank you so much for linking that tutorial too. BTW your hand painted emblems look awesome on your vehicle!

Cheers

Thanks for linking the tutorial, I may give this a go.

Looks pretty cool. Makes me wonder if you could embed some magnets in the base and in the ends of the various plumes. Thi way, it would be more stable, still vehicle interchangeable, and you could hang a turret on the plume to give it a more realistic "catastophic" kill look.

 Enzephalon wrote:
I want to use the marker for other vehicles too. If I would create something that would fit into the hatch... how would I use it on Rhinos, Vindicator or Landraiders?It might be not optimal. But this is a simple marker. There is only so much effort I want to invest in this piece. But I will clean up the base

Totally understand the effort point and the flat base makes it useable across armies, but am I mistaken in recalling that all SM tanks have the same small, round hatches (the ones that can mount HK missiles, exposed crew, or be plugged with sensor plates)? It would require a smaller marker to look anything but ridiculous, but it is, I think, an option, at the very least.

As far as fixing up a flat base is concerned, how stable is the plume? That looks like a 40mm base, is it not? If you kept the plume relatively well balanced, I think dropping down to a 25mm base (weighted, if necessary) to shrink the footprint would help make it less noticeable, regardless of how it was painted. The bright grey also makes it jump out at me. If you're only using these on a single SM army, it might be worth painting them the same red as your BA tanks, just to help them blend.

That is really cool!!

I have seen those explosion markers in the pages of WD and 40K Rulebook...I thought they used some sort of armature and sprayed insulation on it!!
I never thought of using Woodland Scenics Foam...GREAT IDEA!!

Keep up the great work!

Maybe try using a small disc of clear plastic or plexi glass. That way, you wont really "see" the base of the explosion.