The Conclave

New thread time!

After getting my four daemonhosts finished off (though there will be a bonus one in the next few months thanks to Macabre's sculpting abilities), it's time to move on to my next project. This will be a long running one, as there are many, many facets of Chaos I am looking to explore. This project is coming about as while writing the Xanthite sourcebook, it has struck me in just how lacking my collection is in "baddies". There are plenty of anti-heroes, but no outright enemies of the Imperium. I am going to resolve this problem by putting together followers of Chaos, heretics, and xenos creatures. I am starting out with the former, as there will be a section on the followers of the Dark Gods in the Xanthite book, and I need some models to illustrate it!

The first pair of models are part of the Storm of Brushes challenge (I am counting the last two daemonhosts as part of it too, and hope to get another model done before the end of the month). The first to get some paint on him is a Dark Adept of the Heathen Forge, a heretek of the Dark Mechanicus. The second model is an Heir-Killer of the pirate reaver fleets of Captain Hagen Bloodoath.

The Dark Mechanicus heretek has been rescued from my "box of shame"; that wonderful collection of unfinished projects we all have. After putting the bits together I never managed to get a convincing character formed in my mind until now. I am happy I have, as I really am happy with the build here.


Still a bit of work to do on him yet, but I hope to have him finished by the weekend.

After that, I will be moving on to this brute, who started off as an experiment into seeing just what other model would fit the Crimelord's big cloak. Krieger Krash Thrax and his oversized shoulders just about worked, and with Artemis's big noggin', a model came together. I bulked up some ork arms with ProCreate and came up with this very angry chap. The Heir-Killers are the captains of the Khornate reaver vessels, so called as they must kill their first-born and offer up the skull in sacrifice for command of a ship. Nice guys.


Comments and criticisms appreciated.

Ruaridh

Love the Dark Mechanicum guy. The green on the back is very cool and I'm kinda jealous that I didn't think of that myself (I might have to go back and do it) for my Mechanicum chap. The 'brute is looking good as well but I can't help but feel those arms are too small for him. Have you tried Ogre/Ogryn arms?

Looking forward to this! I honestly think that the arms are too small too, I think some plastic Ogryn arms from the newer sets would be better. DM looks evil and a cool conversion

Well, nice work with those colors... and the ogryn arms will be a bit short I think (although bulky enough) - check out some warboss sized ork arms instead!

Cheers for the feedback all.

I have now finished off the Dark Magos. Had good fun with the freehand on this model.


I am now slapping paint on the Heir-Killer and will hopefully have him done by this time next week. Might just meet the deadline for five Storm of Brushes models at this rate!

Ruaridh

I'm not actually sure i've ever seen that eldar ranger head used on gruss' body, but I'm probably just being forgetful considering how simple and sensible a choice it is.
Looking great as always Ruaridh.

The model looks great mate. The Blending on the grey and the Hazard stripes look especially awesome.

On a completely non-painting related note, where did you get the laspistol from?

that's the laspistol from Major Jackson

I even have that model. It being on a left hand threw me.... ::)

Heroka is spot on with the laspistol. It's on a hand from the hand sprue (surprisingly enough).

Just about managed to get the reaver captain finished today. He hit the gym and has beefier arms thanks to the liberal application of ProCreate. All the bare flesh was crying out for some freehand, so I have tried my best to give his arms tattoos and his chest has a freshly applied Khornate symbol in some poor soul's blood. I think I am happiest with the weathering on the chainsword though.


Taking a wee break from Chaos goons to paint up an Ordo Xenos interrogator for the Storm of Brushes. Still hoping to beat the June 1st deadline for the 5 models!

Ruaridh

The painting is beautiful on all of these pieces. Great freehand, and the power meter on the back of the mechanicus character is inspired. My favorite part of both pieces is that they could pass as imperial or chaotic based on the build, but it's the paint job that lets you know what side they're on. Also, I've been a fan of the Heir-Killer concept since I first read your text on them, it's cool to see one come to life.

Cheers Alyster.

So after taking a break to get things finished for the IGT and the last model for the Storm of Brushes contest I have got back to work on some more disciples of the Dark Gods. I ordered a couple of sets of everyone's favourite Eisenhorn knock-offs from Moscow, and have got to work converting the first lot into a group of cultists.


A couple of head and weapon swaps, additional kit, some re-sculpting of their clown feet, and a couple of sculpted masks have them in position for painting up. Just have to wait on some Army Painter spray primer to arrive and then I can get cracking.

Ruaridh

I'm starting to think that more of the Russian Eisenhorns have been used for the parts that aren't strictly breaking copyright than for the parts that are...

I've already said that I think the Forearms/Hands are too small but.... wow. That paint job rocks. The face is just awesome..

Those random gangers are looking pretty ace as well. Keep up the good work man!

Seems to have taken me a lot longer than I intended to update this thread. Oops. Anyhow, I have painted the converted Insurgents.  The Children of the Abyss are ready to assault the Carthax sector with their heresies!


I used Army Painter Chaotic Red as the base coat for them. I used Calthan Brown for the leather, Tin Bitz for the metal and Rakarth Flesh for the skin. A wash of Devlan Mud for all but the skin (which got Leviathan Purple) followed by some stark highlights got these guys pumped out quickly. No real flair to the painting, but for NPCs I reckon they look good.

I have a couple more cults in mind now, but have also started work on converting an Artemis miniature into an Alpha Legionnaire in Mk V armour. It's proving to be a slog. I have done a bit more work since this photo, but I keep going back to it to redo the sculpting. Don't expect anything too soon!


Ruaridh

Man, those NPCs are looking good. I was thinking of doing some GS masks on my Insurgents as well, glad to see it works so well/sad that I'm not the first.

Thanks for the info re: your painting process. I have a large batch of minis to paint up and may steal that combo. Looking forward to seeing how the alpha legionnaire comes along.

The skin tone on those Chaos Cultists is really nice mate. Conversion work looks good as well, the stone head looks great on those models and the 'Immortan Joe' Head is nicely executed too.

Are you done with the bases? I think they flagstones could do with a wash or two to dirty them up. A Green/Brown/Black mix wash over grey is good for a nice slate look.

I cannot believe that the NPCs are from the Tehnolog figures! They are superb conversions and you may say a simple paint job but I say frakin' excellent!!

Like another poster I'd thought of doing these up as some baddies but needed inspiration-well, now I have it.

I did some 'Blood Cult' figures in 1/18th scale a while back and wish my attempts at the dark red look had worked as well as the one you have created.

Thanks for the kind words. I do plan to dirty up the bases.

Having done a set of these guys with next to no conversion work it was a nice challenge to differentiate the next bunch enough to stand out from the others.

I can't recommend Army Painter sprays enough when it comes to base coating models, and Chaotic Red is just a brilliant shade.

Ruaridh

There hasn't been much of an update here for a while, but that all changes with a week off from work starting now!

Hobby time for the last couple of months has been taken up with my entries for EpiCompetition over on Tactical Command, but now that the fiddly work of 6mm painting is out of the way I have been able to turn my attention back to 54mm. Since I last updated here I had started work on a Slaaneshi cult (WIP shots of which had appeared on The Carthaxian Inquisitor Facebook page). After a flurry of brushwork this afternoon I have managed to get this next lot of goons painted to a tabletop standard.

The models started life as Artmaster/Technolog roman gladiators that came from Russia along with the Insurgents used for the previous cult. Rather than go for the typical Slaaneshi cult of scantily-clad ladies, I thought a cult of physique obsessed gym monkeys would make more an interesting departure from the norm. The absurdly muscular gladiators fit the bill perfectly, and after some hacking and addition of GW parts and some sculpting, the models were ready for a basecoat of Army Painter Barbarian Flesh paint.


I was keen to go for a bright scheme in contrast to the dark and grubby red of the Children of the Abyss, so got out my Liche Purple and Shining Gold and went to town. Calthan Brown provided for the leather, and Mithril Silver for any other metals.


At this point the models had come to life and like this they stayed for the best part of two months... Until today I started shading with washes (Leviathan Purple, Ogryn Flesh, Gryphonne Sepia and Nuln Oil) and then added some brief highlights. A smattering of Slaaneshi tattoos finished them off and the bases were finished latterly.


And there we have them. It was quite good fun going for some brighter models for a change. The models are hardly masterpieces, but I am happy with them for filling the role of NPC goons.

I hope to get some work done on the Alpha Legionnaire this week, but my focus is going to be the Xanthite Inquisitors I have in various stages of construction on my desk right now.

Ruaridh

Nice models mate. The conversions are quite cool and the stretched mouth is freakishly cool. Paint jobs are nice despite the quickness of application.

Slightly jealous that could can afford to throw two chainswords on NPCs.

Great group of NPCs. Would love to see a group shot of your various cultists at some point.

As always, inspiring stuff. A clean Dark Mechanicus conversion pulled off brilliantly with simple bits. The paintjob on the second chap is superb as well, although (and this is perhaps my fault for ignoring the 'clave for over a year and not commenting sooner...) I feel his shoulders might be too broad, his right arm seems to come under him at an awkward angle from the photo. Still, I'm nitpicking as I have very little else other than praise!

Chaos cultists are lovely - I think I saw one or two pop up on Facebook at one point. They will indeed die historic on the Chaos Fury Road.

Lovely Slaanesh goons as well - definitely makes me want to put another order in for more throwaway cultists. Last time I checked on ebay their stock was a little thin on the ground - did you have this problem too, or do you think their stock just rotates round?

I will try and get a group shot of all the nefarious dudes once I've got the project finished off. It is getting trickier to source these models from Russia now. I bought a load some years ago that are only now getting used. I have such a pile of unfinished models it's not funny.

The last couple of nights have seen me get back to work on the Alpha Legionnaire. After hacking up the legs and making an upright pose, it had totally neutered any sense of action in the model so I broke it back up again and have put him back together in a sneaking pose. He's needing more cabling under the left pauldron, and the centre of the power cables on the chest needs redone. I am not sold on his grenade launcher yet - a foregrip and stock are needed, and the iron sight isn't that great. He will be toting Blind grenades to aid his sneakiness, and will do most of his work with his knife. He will have a bolter just in case he encounters any Astartes...


Any thoughts folks?

Ruaridh

He looks pretty good to me.

There's something about his posing that reminds me of the Space Marine game (although I don't know why, as the game doesn't let you crouch!) which has got me in a mind to perhaps redo my (currently disassembled due to a terrible and old paint job) Astartes in the armour I use for the game's multiplayer - the DLC Salamander set. Could be interesting.

Nice!! seems to me like he should be festooned with Knives if that's his thing. Maybe just give him a Bolt Pistol if he's a close combat sneaker abouter.

I'm really like the marine. I love how he's gigantic, wielding a grenade launcher in one hand, and sneaking. Personally I like the grenade launcher, though you could Chaos it up a bit with an arrow or some gargoyles or something.

Quote from: MarcoSkoll on January 17, 2016, 03:57:41 PM
There's something about his posing that reminds me of the Space Marine game

Could it be the grenade launcher? Similar to the Vengeance Launcher (or whatever it was).

No, it's probably the knife. I usually play in the Exterminatus/horde mode as a Tactical Marine, and the early zones in particular tend to involve a gratuitous amount of stabbing Orks in the face.

The later stages tend to be "Holy-Saint-Sebastian-that-Ork-is-huge-where's-my-plasmagun-oh-Throne-there's-three-of-them-aaaaaaand-now-the-Chaos-Marines-have-turned-up-and-I'm-out-of-ammo". The completion rate is tough; I've only completed the final stage on three occasions - surprisingly, one of those times, our team was a Marine short.

Damn good fun though. Definitely one of the best representations of super soldiers I've seen in video games, as it manages to make you feel powerful but without being invulnerable. (A lot of settings promise fun options like throwing people through walls, but then make it entirely ineffective).

Glad the initial impressions were positive. The Legionnaire is pretty much done now, though I would like feedback on the final build.


Ruaridh

Very menacing! - what colours will he be sporting?

Looking good. Love the Helmet. What are you using to sculpt with by the way?

Awesome, the little details like the stock and strap on the grenade launcher really pull it together.

Personally, I'm not 100% sold on your wee balls. I think you've got (excuse me) ball overload. I think it's because they're on both legs, the head and the left pad, and it sits awkwardly between 'quartered' and 'centred' (http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40kfanon/images/2/25/Marine_colour_one.jpg). Filing them down on the left leg would give it more of a quartered look (something like this (http://s597.photobucket.com/user/desnifter/media/spacemarine.jpg.html)).

Great work, can't wait to see it painted!

Couldn't get those links to work Rob, but I get the point. One of the reasons I chose mk V armour was for the bodged together with rivets everywhere look. I wonder if removing some from the right leg would lose the effect? I used old 28mm mk V models as a reference for this:


Everywhere but the right shoulder pad is made of the sub-par ceramite that characterised this very rushed mark of armour (also, does anyone else get a Futurama robot vibe from the guy on the right?!).

Borak, I am using ProCreate and Milliput for the sculpting, but took press moulds of the helmet and shoulder pads to create the ones we see here out of ProCreate. All the rivets are little balls of ProCreate cut in two and then glued in place.

The colour scheme will be like these 6mm Legionnaires that are winning me the Onslaught Miniatures (http://www.onslaughtmini.com) category over on Tactical Command (http://www.taccmd.tacticalwargames.net/):


It uses Tamiya Clear Green and Clear Blue over a silver base to create a metallic turquoise.

Cheers

Ruaridh

Quote from: Van Helser on February 04, 2016, 04:55:10 PMCouldn't get those links to work Rob, but I get the point.

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40kfanon/images/2/25/Marine_colour_one.jpg
http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt55/desnifter/spacemarine.jpg

I think Rob may have put "quotation marks" around the address when he put it into the [url=]tags[/url]

Have you given any thought to putting him on a larger base? Something looks slightly off with the pose but I'm convinced it's just that the base is too small (as an aside, I think a larger base makes sense for a marine).

Quote from: MarcoSkoll on February 04, 2016, 05:30:46 PM
I think Rob may have put "quotation marks" around the address when he put it into the [url=]tags[/url]

Bah, you're right. I've not used BBcode in quite some time. Fixed!

Quote from: Van Helser on February 04, 2016, 04:55:10 PM
Couldn't get those links to work Rob, but I get the point. One of the reasons I chose mk V armour was for the bodged together with rivets everywhere look. I wonder if removing some from the right leg would lose the effect?

Aha I see! Well then, I bow to superior references. I was trying to find a reference for what I had in my head, but it turns out that I was probably mis-remembering something anyway.

Do you uh.. have any slightly larger examples of the colour scheme you're using? It looks awesome from here though!

Thought I'd share some progress on the Legionnaire.

It's not been a happy month of painting I must admit. I have found the Tamiya "clear" paints difficult to work with, and really wish I had practiced on a couple of other models first before slapping them onto the Legionnaire. Of course, the techniques I had used on the 6mm models did not transfer up the scales, and I was left with a blotchy mess after a few coats. I hummed and hawed about stripping the model, but was worried about what would happen to all the ProCreate in there, so elected to respray with more Army Painter Platemail Metal. I have lost some detail, but it's not terminal (I think).

I refined my technique (mainly by taking things a lot slower to avoid puddles of paint drying unevenly), and after about 8 coats of Tamiya paint, some highlighting with metallics and a Guilliman Blue glaze I have the armour where I just about want it to be. I love the metallic effect of blue/green that Forgeworld have used on their Alpha Legion models, and I am really quite happy with the luster that the model has. I have also tried to use washes to give the power cabling a heat-damaged look.


There is plenty more to be done, so I best get back to painting!

Ruaridh

Love the armour! That's really come together.

That's a really cool effect.
I like the way the highlighting works with the way the paint has flowed.

Oh man, love the two-tone armour on this! Can't wait to see him finished.
What's his name?.... Alpharius?  ;D

Quote from: Aurelius on March 02, 2016, 02:45:30 AM
What's his name?.... Alpharius?  ;D

Why of course!

Today has seen many details getting added. I have been working off this image (http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140409231251/warhammer40k/images/b/b5/AL_Tact_Markings_Heraldry.jpg) for iconography ideas. The photo doesn't quite make out things perfectly, but it gives a good impression of what I have achieved.


The armour needs some weathering now. I have had some thoughts of what should go on the scroll, and I believe it should be 'Imperator', just to further muddy the waters as to the Legion's true motivations.

Ruaridh

 :o Show off.

That is pretty damn impressive. Well done sir. The pic isn't 100% clear but from what I can tell it's incredibly well executed.

Thanks guys.

After some fun with weathering powders and moving to a 60mm base, I have finished. Can't help but feel good about this model. It took a lot of trial and error, and I am really glad with how it has turned out. Definitely worth the stress!


Ruaridh

Some very impressive work on the iconography.
I like the decoration for the base too.

Wow, everything on that is fantastic. The Blue-Green. The freehand. The dust effect. Everything.

Glad he's liked by others too.

Next on the production line is an unfortunate that has fallen under the influence of the entity within his daemon weapon. The corrupted shotgun, Spu-toum is a carrier of some foul diseases of Nurgle. Don't pick up guns with faces kids.


Underneath the putty is the Kane model from the film Alien by Andrea Miniatures. I have had it for years, and over time the plastic dome of the helmet discoloured. This heavily inspired the conversion into a disciple of Nurgle, along with the Vile Savants from Dark Heresy (animated hazmat suits). The rotting head within is cast of a self sculpt I did a while ago to make some zombies (another plan that amounted to nothing).

The milliput is still wet, so I will be doing some filing and tidying up before getting some paint on there. Any other ideas?

Ruaridh

I think I've seen Kaled use one of these before - awesome as a base model.
Is the snotgun going to be firing Nurgle's Rot at people?
Similar profile to a plasmagun, but with the Nurgle's Rot rules (I'm hoping/assuming they're in one of the two exterminatus books, 2002 or 2004 that I got).

I'm sort of expecting something with a similar paintscheme to the death guard, except if this is a corrupted explorator, that would end up being a mix of that and AdMech colours instead, with slowly creeping corruption and sickness across the model, as it slowly progresses through his body, invading every cell.
Tentacles, maggots, pustules, weeping sores, etc. Maybe he even leaves spores that grow into new snotguns to infect other worlds?

Wow that corrupted Daemonic gun-wielding explorer is great - a lot of character.
I love the idea of a Daemon gun - almost says "Devil May Cry" Playstation game to me...

as for colours, i'd be interested to see where you go with it - I like the idea of brown/orange rust, and some nice biliious greens on the more slimey parts!

Really nice version of a classic fig!
A daemon infested NPC from the Navis Primer came to my mind... check it out if You haven't heard about it  ;)

First off the nurgle guy looks great, echoing earlier comments would be interesting to see ad-mech exploritor reds for the suits offset by the gunge and pus of the nurgles rot,  especially if the suit was still quiet bright and vibrant.  lovely idea to do a deamon shotgun too, so used to them just being combat weapons.

Next the Alpha Legionaire, all I have to say is wow....  Great model and paint job.  Definitely not someone you would want to meet in a dark alley.  Also game wise Alpha legion make alot of sense to be present.  Just trying to work out what the blue on his base is, I am guessing it is a half buried marine helmet but the extra shadow underneath is throwing me off a bit.

Marc/blacknight

Thanks everyone.

@blacknight - The marine helmet is an Ultramarine one, it's just been dirtied up a lot as it's spent so long on the ground.

@KaptiDavy - I have just re-read the Navis Primer. This character is fairly similar, except he was once a Rogue Trader that was a bit too curious and picked up the gun. He's now spreading disease wherever he goes!

@seaglen - rust and a dirty space suit were always the direction I planned to go in.

@mcjomar - Kaled did indeed do an explorator using this model. The gun has a couple of daemon weapon rules that I have come up with for the WIP Xanthite Sourcebook:

Filth Eater
The daemon hungers for poisons and toxins to fuel its essence. When the weapon is drawn, the bearer cannot be affected by any toxins in any form.

Vomitorium
Drooping maws line the weapon, leaking putrescent bile and maggots from their rotten lips, that is vomited out on command. Once per turn, the bearer may unleash a wave of filth at his foes. This shooting attack counts as a hand flamer, that inflicts an additional D6 damage if its target fails a Toughness test, but cannot set the target on fire.

Here's where I've got to with the painting. Any opinions on the colouration? The former Rogue Trader is meant to look washed out and decayed, while the gun is vibrant and alive; feeding off the essence of the body it controls.


Ruaridh

love the contrast between the guy and the weapon. they both stand out in very different ways.

If I were to say anything I'd have added a bit more 'flesh' to the green skin. at the moment he's almost the same as most of my goblins. to make him look more 'sickly' i'd have done a pale grey flesh with lots of bruising and green/purple tints to it. Although i'm not sure if that would look good with the colour you've chosen for the suit. Anyway, that's just how I would have done it. It looks great as is! Are you going to add some drool effect to the weapon?

In the end, I decided to do away with the purple for the gun. It just wasn't Nurgle-y enough. I added some PVA to the tip of the tongue to try and get a drool effect... It worked okay.

Borak, I know what you mean about the skin, but I went for the lurid green to stand out against the drab dirt of the suit.

The fiddliest and worst part of finishing the model was cutting the plastic of the helmet to fit under the bracing on the top. Took so much cutting and cursing.

Here's Seret van der Poel, Daemon Vessel:


Ruaridh

He looks great as is! He does look a bit monotone now that the Gun-Face is pallid green a swell though. I'd be tempted to add some yellowish, purpleish, blood leaking from sores and the joints in his armour. Just to break it up a bit. A big blood shot eye on the gun would look good as well :D

The rusted metal is great though. How did you do that?

I'd jokingly suggest an umbrella symbol too.

Loving the look on the snotgun.
I agree with the one bloodshot eye idea.
I'd avoid purple though.
Yellows are more likely to work I think.
Like pus and jaundice.

Bloodshot eye is a good shout, as well as some liver spots I think.

The rusty metal was done with a few coats of very thin Bestial Brown washed over the Army Painter Skeleton Bone base. A really diluted Devlan Mud wash added some shadowing. A light drybrush with Boltgun Metal followed, and lastly some splodges of Macharius Orange were applied at random.

Ruaridh

I'm stealing that technique. Thanks for that. I assume the skeleton bone base colour is similar to bleached bone?

Pretty much an exact match for it.

Had some valid criticism of the Legionnaire - the grenade launcher looked very plain and almost unfinished in comparison with the rest of the model. I have added some detailing now in the form of a hydra on either side of the barrel. This proved very hard to photograph, but managed to get it in focus with a piece of paper between the gun and the base.


I've also got a wee sneak peek of some gribblies for my IGT scenario. Hellmites from Heresy Miniatures:


Cheers

Ruaridh