New Project

Well, I mused, and I waffled, and I thought...
And then I thought some more...
Then I stuck my nose in rule books and old and new codices...

Then I though bugger it, MORE MARINES!

I wanted to veer away from the dark colours and bleak looking troops I usually tend to go for. As we know, the bad guys don't always wear black.
Plus I wanted to try out more challenging colour schemes and new troop types and rules for the force.

Thus was born the ANGELS OF ECSTASY renegade chapter.

I popped into the shop (GW) and bought a lord and some marines for the princely sum of £34.50, along with some paint. Then I had to dodge the "why don't you come along to our game nights, why don't you buy a white dwarf, what armies do you have, isn't the chaos codex great, I love apocalypse, I love spearhead" kind of crap that the droids working there spew at me each time I go in. Geesh, if I wanted it, I would buy it. And I don't talk about apocalypse of spearhead AT ALL. They're just gimmicks to sell lots of miniatures and tanks to the unsuspecting public. The thing is, it ain't difficult to think up simple rules to play these type of games WITHOUT GW help. I mean, we're not all 'tards, are we?
Even when I was 12 (that's TWELVE YEARS OLD) I was thinking up these things. It's all just about the money nowadays. GW used to be cool, now they're corporate.

Sigh.

Anyways, back to the project!

Step 1- Construction
Now, I wanted to try and keep to the models supplied, but I also wanted to add my own brand of weirdness to proceedings. So, I got my cutting and trimming stuff together and washed all components in slightly soapy water first once the mould lines were removed. then I got out the glue and went to work. This took shape as we can see from the pics that follow:

This is the rear view of the lord, and it shows off the daemon weapon I kitted him out with. I took the head off the force weapon in the kit and stuck on the power axe head. Thus was born the "Glaive of Eternal Bliss" or big hitty thing as I like to call it. Basically it follows the codex rules for a Slaaneshi Daemon weapon, or "Blissgiver."

Also not the bits I stuck on the base for extra detail.

Same guy, front view. Note also the combi weapon (melta) and face style head I gave him. I also cut some scarring onto the face with a craft knife (remember kids, stay the fook away from sharp stuff wot can stick you!!!).

Along with these things, and to complete the model I went for the simpler looking trophy racks. I was going for simple and striking here, rather than over complex and stoopid. At this point I had a colour scheme in mind, but it was how to get there WITHOUT following the advice of GW cloned goons.

Here's some of the squad after construction. Notice all the marines carry icons on their backpacks. My fault, just thought it looked nice. This pic features the two special weapons and the icon to slaanesh. I also went for the blank shoulder pad to go on the left instead of the right (which is usual practice). This army was going to be a weird sight in every way I could go without resorting to putty and craziness. Remember- simple and striking!

There's the champion and the rest of the squad. I really do like the new CSM squad kit, as it includes plenty of character and the list of weapon upgrades is sweet! I now have several spare bits for possible inclusion in later units I add. Sweet. The I got my pin vice and drilled out the gun barrels for all the bolter weaponry ( I NEVER DO THAT).

With the leader and unit constructed and the glue dried, it was time to step on to the next stage. UNDERCOATING.


Stage 2- Undercoating

First thing was to go for skull white spray. Again a MAJOR step away from the usual black spray. This would make the models lighter and mean I would need to be more precise when applying colours later, so as not to leave any white bits in corners and crevices!

As we can see from the pic above, I put the models on a piece of mdf and used masking tape to hold them still. I have been spraying using this method for EONS now and it ain't let me down yet!

The it was off outside to a WELL VENTILATED AREA (kids take note) to give em a good dusting with the spray.

Here's the Lord. As you can see I gave all the models a single coat of white. Some prefer several coats, but it's just not my way. I try to make my paints go as far as possible so as to save cash and maybe the environment a little too (honestly though, I dunno). A single thin coat goes a long way to ensuring that the colours you apply go on well without obscuring the details.

Here are the models after spraying. The black board is now white (duh!) and the models all got a good coat. I try to space them out as much as possible so that I can move the can all around them as I spray, hopefully this pic shows that. Notice the second mdf board behind the models that I used to protect other stuff from the dreaded over spray. With that all done it was time to get the models indoors and get the paints out!

Stage 3- Base coating

This took actually 2 stages of painting, with very careful brushwork, which is hopefully explained in the pics...

In keeping with my choicest deity of Slaanesh, I went for bright colours, but chaos ones just the same. I opted for a patterned finish with purple and white. There would be no detail work done on shoulder guards trims etc, just two bold colours. I wanted the troops to stand out on the battlefield and be appreciated for the colours, but not to the extent where you would need to look closely at the details. Like I said- SIMPLE and STRIKING.

Here are some of the marines with the base coat applied. Warlock purple one half and fortress grey the other half. Note that even the horns are in the colour scheme, not bone coloured. I knew at this point I had definitely picked the right colour scheme! After this initial stage I went further and base coated flesh and metals.

Here's the lord with the complete base coat applied. Black for the cloth and weapons, bestial brown for the flesh, and shadow grey on the stonework of his base, though this would be brownish later if all went to plan.

Likewise with the marines. Now in the books etc it says that you can game with models in this state, worth bearing in mind I suppose...

I like to paint models in groups of at least 10. This allows time for the first model to dry as you paint the others, so you can knock out loads of models in an afternoon of the same quality of paintwork. I does have the necessity for the painter to have that degree of concentration to not get bored by what he's doing. I find that tunes help, along with regular sips of water/ juice/ coffee/ tea and sometimes lager ( ALL HAIL BEER)- though not best in the morning, that last one!!!

I started this method of painting back when I played fantasy battle (50 orcs in an afternoon- easy).

I also found that this method honed my techniques with the brush, colours and shading. I am self taught when it comes to this kind of thing. To that end I don't take well to being told how to shade up to white by a GW clone half my frikkin age! (Basically I told him to get back in his box and stop giving advice to veterans when he's only a damn rookie- shit...)

Last up- more marines! Black for the weapons, human sized skulls and any cloth work/ pouches etc. The feel of the army was starting to come out now, and I was buzzing from it!

Stage 4- shading and highlights

Almost done. The general shape of the colour scheme was there, I just had to accentuate it now and add that vibe to the weapons etc. Break out the bolt gun metal and the inks!!!

I shaded the purple (liche purple or warlock purple- whichever is darker, I forget) with old style purple ink, the highlighted with liche/warlock purple and finally the lighter shade of purple on the top.

The grey got a dash of watered down armour wash, the highlighted up via grey to skull white. Next time I won't water down the ink, as the shading could have been a bit better on the white.

The blacks that weren't weapons got a good old bolt gun metal followed by armour wash then chainmail shade and highlight. For blades I went up another notch to mithril silver. This made the power sword of the champion really bright.

Then it was on to the reds for eyes and red dot laser sights and hey presto! We were there!!

There's the lord again! I went for purple ink to shade the blade for the daemon weapon. This gives it a "unholy hue" that I really like alot. The weapon stands out to, without overpowering the colour scheme. Nice!!! The flesh on this model (and the others too) was built up from bestial brown with chestnut ink through bronzed flesh, then elf flesh and finally bleached bone. I wanted the models in this army to have really pallid flesh. This seems to suit the Slaaneshi ideals of perfumes, excesses of beauty (though twisted) and pleasure etc.

Here's the first half of the squad. Note the "red dot" sightings on the bolters and the really shiny power weapon. The white an purple really do sit well here. I am so chuffed with the outcome. It really is a gigantic step away from the norm for me.

Second half of the squad, this time with the icon and the special weapons. Hopefully the troops look good here too. I kept the colours simple so that I could paint models quickly and raise an awesome spectacle for the battle field that will contrast well with likely opponents (greys, reds, greens and dark colours- you guys know who you are!!!).

This led to the final stage...

Stage 5- Basing, transfers and sealing.

The bases were covered first in bestial brown, then grey gravel, followed by my usual mix of green flock, tea leaves (from really cheap tea bags) and brown fine gravel. Once dried, this was then sealed in using watered down PVA painted over the whole base. My hope is that this will prevent flock dropping off and going everywhere (it really pisses the wife off when she nags me to hoover all the crap up).

I also applied the chapter badge to all the models. This is simply a Slaanesh symbol on the purple shoulder guard. The results were well impressive, though I had to do some crafty trimming with a model knife to get the symbols to sit properly on the shoulder guards. Once dried, this was also sealed using watery PVA glue. Again my hope here is to prevent the transfer sliding off. It does my head in when that happens...

This is a shot of the champion from the rear. Hopefully this illustrates the colour scheme to its fullest, as well as showing a hint of the badge and the detail on the base from using different flocks and gravels.

Same guy with the icon bearer seen from the front. again it shows how truly striking the simplest of colour schemes can be.

Marines with trusty bolters. The guy at the frontreally does show how cool the Slaaneshi symbol looks. The PVA was still wet when I took this one. Talk about seizing the moment!

These are the two special weapons models in the squad. I went for the flamer to clear out infantry from buildings and cover, and the melta gun for armour and armoured troops. Hopefully this makes the squad a bit versatile in combat, coupled with the benefits of the icon to the god Slaanesh, well nice!

This is the rear view of the Lord, showing the degree of shading I applied to the cloak, as well as highlighting the base detail. The cloak even had a coat of purpler ink applied in the hope it would go a bit "2 tone" the pic doesn't do it justice, and the effect is really very slight. Worth a punt though...

The front view of my lord. I haven't decided what to call him just yet. But it will be something weird and wonderful. Again that striking colour scheme with the symbol of the patron god really makes the model jump out at you.

Well, I hope you liked the case study of how the new army took shape in terms of colour and theme. I am really happy with the bold contrasting colours and that the simplest combination really has proven itself to be very effective.

Now I just have to do it again- for the entire army!!!
Next up for the army will most likely be a rhino and some noise marines or something. I am still musing over various combinations of units and vehicles. The Rhino will be very striking, keeping that two colour scheme, but I need to put a Slaansehi symbol or two on it somewhere, which I have several thoughts on... (heheheh). I am looking to really strech myself there, and if it doesn't work out, then I can simply go back to simple striking colour schemes.

I am also thinking about raptors, but not as we know them, and chosen too. Again kit bashing may feature heavily, and I'll be sure to keep you all posted!

Stick on your thoughts and verdicts below!

By the way, I will be deleting the space marines and imperial guard posts in the next week or so. Make the most of them while you can!!

Riding Rough

I figured it was about time I showed off a bit with the rough riders squad for the traitor guard army.
Hopefully the pictures aren't too fuzzy on the details, as all the models are now undercoated and ready for the paint job.

My initial plan was to include some rough riders in the army just as something a little different for my opponent to worry about, but looking at their capabilities in the codex and rule books I changed my thoughts on them and consider them to be a kick ass fast assault unit. And it means I dont have to field nothing but lasguns and tanks!

By using the parts from the heavy weapons, guard squad and command squad sprues, I was able to create what you see in this post. I'll try and be as descriptive as I can in terms of what I did, but my memory aint what it once was!


Remember this pic from the old post? I figured I should resurrect it here to show what I started out with. They were all constructed and undercoated Empire knights for fantasy battle. I took off the bodies and heads with clippers, and cut off the lance arms carefully, because I needed them to represent my hunting lances. Also removed were laurel wreaths and sigils from the horses' barding.
Some tricky cutting involved here, and I certainly nicked my thumb and fingers a bit.

WARNING TO ALL- BE CAREFUL AS FECK WITH SHARP STUFF.

The next step was a trip to town with some dosh and I bought the command squad, a heavy weapons squad and an infantry squad. One thought...KITBASH!!!



This is a view of the completely constructed squad. All undercoated up and ready for painting. Each model has had the body of a catachan added, along with a head, back pack, laspistol etc. You get the idea anyway. I basically combined the bits from the kits (as it were) and this ios what came out the other side!
I don't do well at planning these things too much, I tend to just break open the kit and go with my feelings and gut instinct. Of course, I knew what I wanted to achieve in general terms and to have a "vision" of the target is always helpful when it comes to going a bit "bashy."
Any ways, on to the individuals...


Here's the sergeant, on a suitably pompous horse and carrying a power weapon. the officer's cap was added, but only after I had removed the imperial (spits) eagle from it. I stuck the backpack onto the horse'sback end, as I figured that horses can have saddle bags, right? The model certainly has an authority about it (even though he is only a lowly sergeant).


Icon bearer carrying Slaaneshi icon. The codex doesn't feature this at all for rough riders, but I did muse over it whilst gazing at the icon in my bits box. It gives the squad identity, and I can use it as an icon if in can be bothered to include daemons and if my opponent agrees. Again the pompous looking nag, with a shovel stuck onto the barding at the rear. Pretty much all of the models have had additions from the guard kits put on, like ammo pouches, grenades, shovels etc.

Special weapon rider, carrying a flamer hooked onto the back of the horse. Again that them of back packs, cag stuck onto the armour features throughot the squad. Coupled with the speed of cavalry, this guy can get up close and gout flame over his foes, ideal for enemies in cover.

Apologies- crap picture! This fella packs a melta gun which comes in handy against heavy stuff and bunkers, and gives the squad a clearer purpose on the battle field. I'll muse on that later.
Again the back pack and gubbinz.

The remaining riders, keeping in with the theme of the squad. The look and feel is of a group of men that are self sufficient from the main force. They carry their own kit from place to place and rely on noone else. The shovels feature too, for digging in when in advance of the main column.

The squad has a "scouting unit" sort of feel because of this, which I really like.

The armoured legs look kinda weird, but for some reason seem to fit well. I decided to keep the armoured arms holding the lances too, because I figured that whilst you're on the charge, holding the lance toward your target with hails of shells coming at you, the armour would help to protect your lance arm and help to ensure you struck the target.

Beware the horsemen of chaos, for they bring only death and the promise of only more suffering that is certain to follow them!

Any ways, that's it for the unit thus far. Hopefully you agree with my thoughts that they look absolutely nuts. Next step is the paint job, which will be in with the rest of the army, featuring blacks and reds. If I can remember I'll put up pics of the painted stuff when its done to show it off a little.

And to think the hoon in games workshop said that it wouldn't look right, and that I had to use chaos marauder horsemen bits. What a fucktard...

Modelling news- The New Project begins...

Well, I have been pondering the next project for some time now, especially since finishing off everything else I had that was paintable. I've been trawling through all the books and mags and websites and whatever I had to hand to give me inspiration.
Whilst having a poke about in my bits box I came across an old model, and it hit me like a bolt of lightning- a diamond bullet to the forehead as it were!

Thus was born my next project- ULTRAMARINES 3rd Company!
Of course- I don't have the codex yet, but I have played marine armies in the past, so I have at least an idea of what makes up a space marine force.
The model I found was a chaplain- a biker chaplain in fact- that I had reposed and converted into some sad ghost of its former self (a fail). This is the story of how Chaplain Paraxus of the 3rd company came into being...


Stage 1 - BITS!
This pic shows the bits I collected together. Notice the Khorne Beserker helmet, the space wolf storm bolter and the space wolf back pack banner. I also tracked down a spare shoulder pad, melta bomb and personal banner. The model itself was in for a dramatic series of changes, including a head swap, weapon swap and even the storm bolter was in for some alteration!


Stage 2- Extra bits ready for sticking on!
Here we see the additional parts are prepped and ready for application. The Beserker helmet has been cut down to just a skull helmet, the backpack now has a personal banner, and I even salvaged a purity seal for the model's old power axe (which has been removed).


Stage 3- OFF WITH HIS HEAD!
The model had his head cut clean off with clippers and the the space left was filed flat. The arm socket and left hand were also filed flat to prepare for the component parts to be glued on. This guy was gonna look cool. I had the image now planed firmly in my head. This was the point of no return now, the model was effectively ruined if the parts didn't match the feel of the miniature of if they would not fit. I crossed my fingers and strode on... FOR ULTRAMAR!


STAGE 4- Gluing together.

This is the finished article, minus obligatory awesome paint job! lol. He is now obiously a space marine chaplain with a storm bolter and crozius arcanum. He is also carrying melta bombs and has a banner pole too. A bit of a chop job all in all, but the skull helmet idea worked in construction ans the converted weapons etc really do give him the feel of a hard S.O.B.
He was then left overnight for the glue to fully set ( patients is NOT a strong point of mine).

Stage 5- Colour selection.

Here he is again, stood on the mixing tile with my brushes, transfers, water pot and paints behind him. It always pays to have a good look at the model before you start with painting and select the colours you need according to the shades and textures you want to create. Chaplains wear black, the Ultramarines colour is blue, and the third company are denoted by red banding on the shoulder pads. I also had to consider the banner pole and what I would do about that. New territory for me there, as I usually leave it if I don't have a sticker to hand.

Stage 6- Undercoating.

Black undercoats seem to work for everything (except yellow for some reason- go figure!), and as this model will be wearing black power armour, its the perfect choice. A good even coat is important, as we all know to achieving that all important shading later on. Black is also great as an undercoat for metallic colours (The silver ghosts proved that). According to my source texts (old codexes) Ultramarines achieve best results over a black undercoat too. I'll remember that when the squads star rolling in!

Stage 7- Base coating.
All the base coat colours have been applied here, including bestial brown for the base. I also threw on a bit of tank track to the base to cover the slot and add character to the model. The base coat of black was pretty much already on, so the power armour got a very fine drybrush of Elf Grey.

Stage 8- Shading and detail work.
Here the model is highlighted and fine details are picked out, such as the eyes and the text on the purity seals. The eagle motif and skull helmet have been drybrushed progressively light up to white. The Blue shoulder guard with red trim is ready now for the final stages of modelling-transfers.

I also started work on the banner for his banner pole.

A side on shot, showing how little a space there is to work on on the shoulder guard, with the back pack taking up precious moving space for the transfers.

Stage 9- Finishing touches
Here he is the finished article! The base is flocked with brown gravel, green flock and tea leaves (super cheap ones!!) all mixed together to give the effect you see there. The banner I kept simple as possible, but the blue with red bordering of the third company symbolism remains. The Ultra symbol in red with a skull in denotes a chaplain, with the romnan numeral 3 to indicate the company he serves in. I never like the way that the Ultramarines transfers stick on the shoulder guards- its a proper pain in the arse. I am figuring out a way around this now by trimming the transfer down to give it more flexibility when being applied. I love the way the eyes seem to sparkle too, it brings the model to life in an eerie way, that I like alot.

There's the shoulder guard with the transfers applied. The "3" on the Ultra symbol really looks kinda cool- I was well happy with that. The skulls on the storm bolter also stick out a little, accentuating the firepower the Chaplain carries.

This last "fuzzy shot" shows the Army marking. The skull in the yellow cricle is, as far as I can remember, a typical army badge used by space marines on campaign. By using this army badge, I can include elements of the first and tenth companies in the force and tie them all in together with the campaign badge.

THE NEXT STEP

Well, I have an HQ choice now, so I guess I need to think about his subordinates. Chances are that the battle force boxed set will do for starters, along with the codex.

I really want to make this army look special, so will take ages on the troops and vehicles. I'll try out some new techniques and convert and personalise as much as possible.

The third company are known as "the scourge of the xenos" afer their honours won in the first Tyrannic war.

That opens possibilities for Tyrannic Veterans, as well as trophies of genestealers and other xenos races for the characters and vehicles.

Watch this space! More is sure to follow as the army grows.

Also coming up...

Battle will be joined in the next few days, so expect battle reports and tales of glory and heroism galore!