So, things have been actually coming along. I'm finally getting some paint on some minis, building some more, trying a new paint scheme... life is good. A long time ago, or at least it feels like a long tome ago, I mentioned switching my paint scheme over to Black Legion. That is the new scheme I've been trying out and I've been really pleased with the results so far and it looks like it's here to stay. Which is kind of auspicious timing since the Black Legion supplement seems to be right around the corner... well, if anyone could find any information of it beyond the rumors of the up coming Space Marine codex. (Almost forgot, there seems to some buffs coming in the new supplement, like the Mark of Chaos Undivided supposedy giving +1 to WS AND the ability to take any icon, which for a unit of CC Chosen could be awesome... ). Lets take a look at the latest handiwork!
Here's the Decimator conversion, now with paint! This has been the model for me to figure out new recipes for gold, silver, and black. Gold and silver have been tweaked for new shades that are available, but still remain laborious (If there is any interest I can provide the recipes I use in the comments below). With black, I wanted to get away from the standard grey highlighting you'd normally see for something that would complement the tones on the model. The blue highlight seems to do the trick well... it's complementary with the gold and silver while not fighting with the red accents. Again, overall for my first black armored anything I'm pretty pleased with it and look forward to refining the process down even more to really get some FINISHED models on the table! Yes, I am guilty of using the grey brigade to play... sorry.
Next up, Abaddon. Not your standard model of the Despoiler I know, but once I saw the GW Fantasy Chaos Lord... I HAD to have that model. I got 2 actually, the other one is waiting for its turn under the knife. This was a way for me try some more converting and a new pale flesh recipe for the skin tone. Which is just as involved as the gold and silver and I can provide the recipe if anyone would like it, I write most of the recipes down because it can be a long time between paint sessions for me.
One thing that occurred to me is I might have to get another 40k Chaos Lord and remake Abby so he's got some more bling. The reason for that is I got inspired by page 10 of the old 3.5 Chaos Codex. The holy tome of all things Chaos, the tome all other Chaos codices are held too and found wanting. On this page you have the short fiction of Abaddon's Chosen, with an accompanying illustration on page 11. Now, it is an interesting thing that two of the Chosen in the Dark Vengeance (DV) set are almost directly ripped from this illustration.
Here's what I have so far. It's not much as the conversions are relatively simple for 3 of them, but you can see where I'm going with it.
Terrible picture I know, but I do have close ups.
The DV Chaos Lord is perfect for Skyrak Slaughterborn. Now the trick, and it's going to be a big one, is going to be converting this guy with a little less kit to bring him back inline with being a Chosen and not a Lord. It's a little difficult to cut away the inside of his cavity, trim the right skull down, and trim the stars down, but he's well on his way to being there. He's going to need a a good amount of rebuilding on the legs, and that will stretching my GS skills a lot but I want to see him done so it's going to happen.
The rest of Abaddon's Chosen don't require as much conversion work. Skyrak's buddy, Urkrathos is a simple head and two weapon swap. His sword will be from a Plaguebearer champion to represent the "dripping, and yellowed sword". Add a small amount of GS and he'll be done.
Devram Korda, is another simple conversion. Two weapon swaps, and change out the backpack and done. The biggest problem with him has been trying to find a sword large enough enough but not too big. It's been one or the other, I don't want to make a scratch built sword, but I might have to.
Last but not least is the sorcerer, Ygethmor the Deceiver. I originally thought that the Chosen with the power maul would be a good choice... it wasn't. I didn't think the conversion through enough, and in my excitement flubbed the conversion. Looking at the models again, the lighting claw Chosen started to look like a better choice. Again, swap out the weapons, add two small eyes above his current set and his body is done. A thin plasticard cape with green stuff feathers on it for the feathered cloak and he's complete. Now I'm still out on using the Finecast Sorcerer backpack (which wasn't the best cast... go figure) or a more traditional metal sorcerer backpack which would have to be pinned.
This unit, once completed, will be crazy expensive. Abby, a sorcerer, and 7 Chosen in a Land Raider with a Dirge Caster... rocking as many plasma pistols and power weapons as possible with a force weapon, the demon weapon Drach'nyen, and the Talon of Horus. It's going to be a third of my army in a 2000 point game. It WILL be a fire magnet and people should be scared of it, since Abby gives Preferred Enemy to friendly units within 12 inches. Is it a "competitive" unit? Hell no. Will it be fun to make and play? Oh yeah.
Chris
*Edit - Lesson learned for blogging on an iPad... text good, pictures bad.*