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Looking good Red keep up the good work.

Lovely work. Yellow is an issue for a lot of people, hell I've not done my bike headlights in years because I can't do a good yellow for them.

Also love that Chalice'd chest plate, Blood Angel Upgrade Sprue?

 Adamski Alders wrote:
Lovely work. Yellow is an issue for a lot of people, hell I've not done my bike headlights in years because I can't do a good yellow for them.

Also love that Chalice'd chest plate, Blood Angel Upgrade Sprue?

Let me share with you the secret to doing good yellow, at least as far as I'm concerned anyway. Get a pot of Zamesi Desert. It's fabulous. I use it as a base coat for my golds and also with two to three thinned coats, it covers black flawlessly. Here's an example of what Zamesi Desert looks like after a couple of coats:



No shading or washes done on that of course, but it produces a good yellow shade. That's exactly how I painted the kneepad. Just two to three thinned coats of Zamesi Desert over the knee. Done.

And the chest piece is actually one of the standard ones from the Blood Angels tactical squad box. It's a FANTASTIC piece of kit I'll note. I'll be buying at least a couple of more in the future for my Blood Angels. One to make into a tactical squad and one for conversion bits for a devastator squad, etc.

Funnily enough, I used the two chest pieces that came in the Blood Angels Upgrade Sprue on both of my HQ choices, the Captain, and my Librarian.

I appreciate the kind words as always guys. Take it easy for now and I'll try to have a few more updates in the near future. till then, take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

The Tac marine is coming along quite nicely. Soon enough you'll have a fully painted army. I both love and hate the tactical marine kit, I love the detail on it, but I suck at putting the arms and guns together (even after 3+ years of doing it ).

 War Kitten wrote:
The Tac marine is coming along quite nicely. Soon enough you'll have a fully painted army. I both love and hate the tactical marine kit, I love the detail on it, but I suck at putting the arms and guns together (even after 3+ years of doing it ).

The trick I've learned over the years is to get some good plastic glue (I use Testors brand Liquid Cement for Plastic Models, black bottle, terrific stuff!) for the arms and get them both painted up together (separate from the shoulder pads) and get both arms and bolter prepared to be attached together. Attach the right arm first, and then the left. While the plastic glue is still pliable and the join hasn't completely set yet, I gently place the bolter into position without glue and do any final tweaks/adjustments to the position, then leave it in place to set. Once both shoulder joins with the torso are dry and set, I then go in and finally glue the bolter in place. A very small amount of blue-tack can be used to help hold the bolter/hand in place on the right arm depending on if the bolter is a part of the hand or a separate bit unto itself.

It takes patience, but once you get the hang of it you can get the arms and bolter all assembled fairly quickly and without too much headache.

Hopefully that helps. Take it easy for now War Kitten.

-Red__Thirst-

 Red__Thirst wrote:

 War Kitten wrote:
The Tac marine is coming along quite nicely. Soon enough you'll have a fully painted army. I both love and hate the tactical marine kit, I love the detail on it, but I suck at putting the arms and guns together (even after 3+ years of doing it ).

The trick I've learned over the years is to get some good plastic glue (I use Testors brand Liquid Cement for Plastic Models, black bottle, terrific stuff!) for the arms and get them both painted up together (separate from the shoulder pads) and get both arms and bolter prepared to be attached together. Attach the right arm first, and then the left. While the plastic glue is still pliable and the join hasn't completely set yet, I gently place the bolter into position without glue and do any final tweaks/adjustments to the position, then leave it in place to set. Once both shoulder joins with the torso are dry and set, I then go in and finally glue the bolter in place. A very small amount of blue-tack can be used to help hold the bolter/hand in place on the right arm depending on if the bolter is a part of the hand or a separate bit unto itself.

It takes patience, but once you get the hang of it you can get the arms and bolter all assembled fairly quickly and without too much headache.

Hopefully that helps. Take it easy for now War Kitten.

-Red__Thirst-

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks! The next tac marines I plan on building are (hopefully) going to be from the new Betrayal at Calth set. I'm adding them to my ongoing Ultramarine army (because you can never have enough marines amiright?) 30 Tac marines, 5 termies, 1 contemptor dread, 1 chaplain, and 1 captain for $150? Yes please. Hopefully they're ok to build.

I can't wait to get some Betrayal at Calth minis. I intend to try and split a box with a friend, take 15 marines, and maybe the Contemptor, and let him have the other 15 marines, the terminators, and the characters. Hopefully it'll work out, though honestly I want an entire BaC box for myself to do up some pre-heresy Blood Angels for 30k.

Hopefully the tip helps. I'll be working on the Sergeant for this tactical squad next. Still debating what I want to arm him with.

The current line of thinking is giving him a Lightning Claw on one arm and a combi-flamer, combi-melta, or combi-grav on the other. My alternative build for him is to give him a hand flamer and melta pistol, though I prefer the Lightning Claw/Combi-weapon to be honest, at least from an on-paper format. It costs the same as giving him a power fist but gives him a lot more utility in both the shooting phase and if they get in close combat (which is likely, as I intend for all my Angels to deploy from Drop Pods eventually).

Choices, choices. We'll see what we can see I suppose. Take it easy for now though.

-Red__Thirst-

I just love that the BaC minis are all perfectly usable in 40k. The Tac marines have a good chunk of their special/heavy weapons available for use (plasma, melta, flamer, rocket launcher, heavy bolter). Even the Termies and dread find uses as regular termies and a venerable dread. Although I do intend to pick up Imperial Armor 2nd edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes at some point so I can run the dread as Contemptor (and pick up some of those juicy 30k tanks/flyers). As for weapons on Tac squads my friend who plays BA tends to just run a hand flamer on his sergeant (sometimes 2 if he's feeling bored). I usually either do just a combi-weapon on my sergeants, or sometimes a pistol (usually either grav or plasma depending on the special weapon in the squad) plus a power weapon. Never had that much success with 1 lightning claw, may just be my piss poor rolling though.

Final update for the night. I've gotten both arms pretty much finished up and attached. Currently working on the Heavy Flamer now and will have it wrapped up soon I hope. Down to highlighting and then final detail work on it and I'll be able to get it attached. Once that's finished, I'll get the left shoulder pad painted up (including the chapter emblem) and glued into place, then I'll be down to painting to backpack to finish the mini up.

Here's the progress:





Very happy with how the chapter symbol turned out on the right shoulder. Looks quite good if I do say so myself.

Take it easy for now, and more updates to come.

-Red__Thirst-


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Quick follow up to show the heavy flamer now that it's finished up. Very happy with how the black came out, as well as the heat discoloration on the nozzle of the Heavy Flamer. Take a look.







Love this last image.

"Did someone order extra crispy?"



Thanks for looking. More updates to come in short order. Take it easy for now.

-Red__Thirst-

Home stretch, just finished the left shoulder pad and am going to be moving on to the backpack in short order. Here's where we sit at present:









Should have this guy knocked out later tonight, and will move on to the next member of this squad after that. Likely going to be the Sergeant, but I may go ahead and knock out a few more tactical marines wielding bolters while I'm working on rank-and-file troopers. We'll see once I get the box open and start clipping parts off the sprue for the next marine.

Next post will be the final update for this first tactical marine. Take it easy for now folks & thanks again for reading along.

-Red__Thirst-


Automatically Appended Next Post:
One last note before I sleep tonight. I've started work on the back pack (no pictures yet, it's just the initial red coat) and took a few minutes to clip and start to clean the bits for the next tactical marine. I've decided to work on some rank-and-file models to flesh this squad out in preparation for the sergeant, which I'll paint up last to finish the squad.

I've decided to assemble the next mini in as complete a set of Mk 4 "Imperial Maximus" armor as I can using the bits in the new BA Tactical Squad box. It comes with one set of legs, a torso, and one head that all are in the Mk 4 style and look. My next marine after this will be a standard Mk 7 "Eagle" armored marine, and the one after that will likely be a Mk 6 Corvus suit, possibly without the studded shoulder pad (I'll have to look and see if I have any extra studded pads in my bits box).

More to come soon. Look for further updates in the not too distant future with a (hopefully!) finished heavy flamer marine.

Take it easy for now.

-Red__Thirst-

I must have missed the memo on the heavy flamer but that is one cool looking dude.

Thanks for that Adamski, as always.

This is the first member of what will be a Drop Pod mounted Tactical Squad. I'm still in debate on what special weapon to put on the Special Weapon marine. I'm leaning toward Meltagun, as that will give some (much needed) anti armor to the unit, though I'm also strongly considering a good old Plasma Gun too.

The Sergeant will also be getting a combi bolter to carry with him, Likely a combi-Melta, though I like the thought of a combi-flamer to help drop dual flamer templates alongside the heavy flamer. Bonus points on the combi-flamer in that there's no way to flub the roll on it when shot as a flamer, and it can be used to help on overwatch with the wall of death rule along side the heavy flamer if it has't been fired yet.
As an aside: There are few things that cause me to have the Black Rage more than dropping a 1 or 2 when firing a Combimelta as the one-shot meltagun.

Further updates to come. Take it easy for now folks.

-Red__Thirst-

And finished the Heavy Flamer Tactical Marine!

Here's the finished product! Better pictures will be taken later, as the lighting is not the best at present.













Moving on to the next mini in short order! Thanks for looking and I hope folks like the finished product.

Take it easy for now.

-Red__Thirst-


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Quick final update for the night. I've decided to take a break from painting red (kind of..) and devote some time to painting another Death Company marine. This one will be a little less detailed than the first example, but will be no less dangerous on the tabletop. I'm re-purposing some older Assault Marines I have laying around for this particular squad, intermixing in some of the new-school Death Company plastic bits to help set them off and make them look good.

I've just completed the second Death Company marine's base, and have gotten the body & head base coated black in preparation for the Abadon Black basecoat and first pass of highlighting.

This model will be a little quicker to paint I hope, since it won't quite have the level of detail/bits as some of my more recent minis. Depending on how fast it goes, I may carry on and keep painting on some Death Company to finish the squad of five models out. I may alternate it and paint a tactical marine, a death company marine, and back to a tactical marine till the squads are both done. I'll play it by ear and see what I can see as I paint.

That said, here's the base, and the marine as they sit currently:



(The bare spot in the center is where the foot will glue to the base)



Never fear, that mold line on the side of the grenades on his left hip will be removed prior to painting.

Take it easy for now folks.

-Red__Thirst-

Progression continues on the second Death Company Marine. I've got the marine attached to the base, and have all but finished off the torso, legs and head assembly.

Here's where he sits:





A little less red on him than the previous mini, but once I get the weapons and jump pack attached, I hope it'll tie together a little bit better. May also add a touch of red to a knee pad, but haven't made up my mind yet on that end.

I've started work on the left arm and shoulder pad, and have gotten it to about 85% complete. Just have to paint the bolt pistol casing red, and do final clean up on the decorative bit on the outside of the casing to attach the arm. After that, I'll move on to the right arm and chainsword and then get the right shoulder and jump pack finished up. I've slowed down a little bit on the painting this weekend (I attribute it to pausing to watch a movie instead of painting through like I normally do. Yay distractions. )

Further updates will follow later today. Take it easy for now folks.

-Red__Thirst-

Just a quick update for folks here before I head to work tonight. I made some very solid progress on the Death Company marine last night, all but completing him except for his Jump Pack.

Take a look at the forward progress.







Very happy with this mini, and though it doesn't have as much red on it as the previous Death Company marine I've painted, that'll hopefully off-set some when I get the jump pack attached, which I'm going paint up with additional red detailing.

Very happy with the shoulder pads and weapons on this guy. They came out very nicely I think.

All that said, I'm off to get ready for work. Take it easy for now folks.

-Red__Thirst-

I'd love to see those blood drops on the shoulder and bolter with a lick of "blood for the blood god"

Love what you've done with him though, very tidy

Hey KB, thank you.

I've not gotten any of that particular technical paint from GW yet. I have several of the others though.

I may yet put some Blood for the blood god on the chainswords at some point, but I want to get some and try it out on some basing ideas I have first before I move on to using it on some minis.

Though if there are any miniatures in my list who deserve some of it on them, it's the Death Company and their chainswords I imagine.

Thanks for looking and I appreciate the comments.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

It is a really good paint, works great for gems, as well as representing actual blood.

Yea I've seen it used on friend's models. I tend to do the gems myself (You can see other examples of gems I've done on here in previous pages on the thread) with three colors and a dot of white (Traditional style) with a final layer of 'Ard Coat gloss over the top to make it really shine.

I'll be sure to pick up some BFTBG paint though to try out next time I go pick up a pot or two of other paint at my local hobby supply store.

Cheers for the suggestion.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

That heavy flamer guy came out quite nice. I love the red you've been getting. The heavy flamer and shoulder pads are very crisp as well.

Keep it up - when you treat all your miniatures as if they were all important, it pays off. Even john Doe looks cool and gets kudos from people

Exactly right Teban.

I'm not the best painter but I'm trying my best to paint to the best of my ability and make my models look as good as I can. I want this to be my main army (with my Guard being a close second) and for it to look amazing on the tabletop.

Hopefully as I progress forward my models will look as good as yours do there Teban. Fingers crossed anyway.

Thanks for the kind words as well. More updates will be coming in the near future, take it easy for now.

-Red__Thirst-

So! Today is a good day I think. I just got a new cell phone, meaning I just got a very nice new camera to take mini pictures with.

What better time to try and take some updated shots of Aedus?

Here's a couple of test photos I just snapped, will be trying to use this newer, nicer phone camera for future updates. What do folks think?



and



This is both a good and a bad thing, as it shows the pictures much more clearly, but also sadly shows all my little mistakes.

The up side is I'll see more mistakes and will be able to correct them, though.

Thanks for looking and further updates will be added later. Take it easy for now folks.

-Red__Thirst-

The new camera is pretty good by the looks of things. The Captain is still looking good

Wow that Death Company Marine looks fantastic, the contrast between the black armour and the white detailing and wings is beautifully exceptional. Really nice job Red.

The new camera work on Captain Aedus is looking good, very clear. Can't wait to see more of your work.

Thank you Adamski. I'm going for a very contrast heavy Death Company (lots of white and black, with liberal splashes of red mixed in on the armor and weapons) and I am really liking the way they are coming out so far.

I've had my painting stymied quite a bit the last couple of weeks due to real life, but I got back at it last night and got the jump pack to around 75% or so painted. I've still got to do the red parts, gem work, and other detailing, but hopefully those parts won't take terribly long to complete. Once it's finished up, I'll attach the jump pack and will be moving on to the next model which, I hope, will be the tactical squad sergeant. If it's not the sergeant, I will likely continue to paint up Death Company to try and finish off this first bank of five models (4x Bolt Pistol & Chainsword, 1x Powerfist and Bolter). I will also be starting work on some Scouts in the near future as well I hope, once I get the box in-hand.

Holidays, coupled with working two jobs at present is keeping my painting progress at a snail's pace, but I'm still making some headway a little a long, which is better than nothing.

I'll hopefully have an update posted soon with some pictures of the finished Death Company marine. Fingers crossed I'll get it knocked out on Friday and will start work on the next mini on Saturday. We'll see.

Take it easy for now folks & thanks for following along.

-Red__Thirst-

Finished up the second Death Company marine.













Very happy with how this squad is shaping up to look. More to come soon, about to start work on the third Death Co. Marine now.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

Love the pose, the red and especially the jump pack. Is it me or are the blood drops on the exhausts very shiny?

Hey Adamski, thanks for the complement, and good to see ya. To answer your question: They are indeed, by design I'll note.

I applied some 'Ard Coat gloss to them as an experiment to make them look like polished stones versus the actual gem work done on the other bits such as the gem on the hilt of the chainsword, and at the back of the jump pack between the exhausts and on the sides of the jump pack.

Hopefully it gives a nice contrast to the red there if nothing else.

Work has begun on the next Death Company marine, which will be wielding a powerfist & Boltgun. I've completed the base, and am about to get started on the legs and then the torso. Looking forward to getting one more DC marine finished up, hopefully before the end of the month in theory.

Take it easy for now.

-Red__Thirst-

'Ard Coat? I've never used that myself though I'm assuming it works to shiny up more than just those red jeweled drops?

Power Fist and Boltgun? Nice, will this Power Fist be as ornate as the previous one?

 Adamski Alders wrote:
'Ard Coat? I've never used that myself though I'm assuming it works to shiny up more than just those red jeweled drops?

Power Fist and Boltgun? Nice, will this Power Fist be as ornate as the previous one?

Hey Adamski, sorry for the delayed response, it's been unusually hectic here lately.

Yea, 'Ard Coat is a gloss clear coat, brush on in style. I use it on all my gems to give them some extra shininess. I've has a pot for YEARS and have barely used any of it eve still. Very small amounts are all that are ever required. It's a great tool to use on gems or other things that should be glossy like the surface of a display or screen, etc,

The power fist I'll be using will not be as ornate sadly, but it will still have some decent detail on it, and with the other parts being used, this upcoming marine should stand out a little I hope.

I'll be starting back painting son I hope. Haven't had time to lately over the last few days/week unfortunately.

More to come soon. Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-