Splitting paint schemes

So I like to play a mix of shooty elements with some harder hitting assault units.  20 strong Chaos Cultists x 2 around a Dark Apostle with the Burning Brand of Skallathrax has been a favorite of mine since it could be a thing.  This tactic now works better with 30 strong units and Abaddon.  I also love some Khorne Berserkers, Warp Talons, Raptors, and even bikes to an extant but not as much as some other players.  Especially since only infantry can make it up different floors of a building, Raptors and Warp Talons are even more important I think.

What does this have to do with splitting my paint schemes you ask?

Well since 7th started the detachment craze and 8th doubled down on it I've decided I am going split my very large, and still mostly unpainted, Chaos force into separate Legions.  Black Legion for the shooty elements, Renegades/Emperor's Children for the close combat aspect*.  Renegades for the move/advance/charge and Emperor's Children for at the always strikes first in CC hilarity.  Some of the things you can combine with CSM Slaanesh marked sorcerers; such as Delightful Agonies - 5+FNP basically; and Slaanesh Demons loci/powers - Hysterical Frenzy for the extra "Fight phase" and the Loci for Emperor's Children demon units made me realize how flexible I could make my collection.  I also wanted something that could work with my Slaanesh Demons as well since this are the only demons I have.

"...but Chris... thats like, 3 legions still..."

Not Exactly.

The scheme I decided on for my Slaanesh based marines is The Flawless Host.  I looked for a long time for different Slaanesh war bands that were not based on a predominately black color scheme.  I wanted something that would offer a break from painting Black Legion, and even my Slaanesh Demons as well.  This did lead to some of the more strange paint schemes I've seen, a lot of images popped up from the 6th edition codex, and that the entire concept of not painting all the banding on CSM power armor metallic was a eye opening experience.  Now depending on what you read, and where you're reading it from, The Flawless Host has a couple of different paths.  One is the renegade chapter of Space Marines, the Shining Blades.  The other is an offshoot warband of the Emperor's Children that was entirely wiped out.  So either way I can make this work.

Now where to start?

This where the Internet helped out.  So the image on the top popped up when I was initially searching for references, and I remembered this painting guide from back in the day.  WAY back in the day.  Or at least what feels way back.  The image on the bottom?  No where to be found, and finding this exact guide on Warhammer Digital's website and seeing it was "out of stock" was slightly defeating**.  So I turned to Twitter/The Warp, and put out the call for this long lost tome of knowledge.  The Abyss answered.  Someone had the exact page I needed and sent a screen cap.  Now it's not that I couldn't figure out how to paint it from the paint list alone, but knowing the actual order of operations helped a ton.  Now I could see it, and modify it where needed.

First step.  Find a better primer***.  I'm all for priming black, and have done this forever.  However it felt counter intuitive to prime a model such a dark color and then bring it back up to such a lighter color.  Unfortunately GW does not have a Rakarth Flesh primer can.  I would but all of them they did, since Rakarth is slowly becoming on of my favorite colors to work with.  Enter Rust-Oleum Specialty Camouflage spray paint.  It has a matte finish, and is one value darker then Rakarth flesh, AND is anywhere to ~$3.50-$5.99(~2.7-4.62GBP & ~3.09-5.28Euro).  It's so cheap.  Since I also live in an area of the United States where hunting is big, rural Ohio, it's also practically everywhere.  Like anything that isn't an actual primer, take it slow, and build up thin layers.  I've been able to prime Raptors with this, and haven't lost any of the detail.

That was the most significant change I've done to GW's process.  I pretty much follow the recipe and embellish it here and there.  I don't use black.  I only highlight armor plates to a lighter purple while leaving the banding the darker color.  I've added some small gold accents here and there.  All the small hoses are a brighter blue(Sotek Green, highlighted with Lothern Blue), and all cloth is pastel-ish green(Syabrite Green).  All leather bits are Vallejo Game Color Beastly Brown.  All armor joints, larger hoses, horns, and frag grenades are Eshin Grey.  Im trying to play up that aspect of Slaanesh with selective garish colors and bright metals while keep the rest of the model fairly neutral so those pastels pop.  The 2nd test model worked out well enough for me to move forward with priming the CC Raptor unit, Jump Pack Sorc, and Jump Pack Lord for this scheme.  To be honest the scheme has been a fun to figure out, and a little inspiring as well.  By inspiring I mean I want to paint now, which hasn't happened in awhile.

Here's the current order of operations, the Sybarite Green is not on there since I just added it to the scheme yesterday...  that being said, I have a tendency to jump all over a model and base coat and wash one section and then move a different part.  I'm just not a batch painter... maybe 3 models tops.  I realized this after the 2nd test model took about 6 hours to complete.  Granted some of that was problem solving, and further refining but still... 

So heres the 1st test model.  Everything was really rough, mostly because I didn't have any smaller brushes than a medium layer, and didn't have my bifocals either.

Heres the 2nd test model.  Now with smaller brushes and bifocals!  It came out well, and the flames came out really crisp, I'm actually quite happy with them.  Now I might try and use some more tribal inspired or hot rod inspired flames like I used to draw when I worked at the tattoo studio in my 20s.  I also freehanded the chapter symbol.  It wasn't a terrible experience, however I've already gotten the supplies needed to print out my own water slide transfers and just need to actually print them now.  That will be it's own adventure.

Here's the WIP magnetized Jump Lord, now with new Sybarite Green!  This also after about 4 hours, maybe 5 but it really only felt like 4 hours.  4 1/2?  Started at about 10am, went to GW around 12-12:15 had lunch and ordered Blackstone Fortress, went back and painted until about 5:30-6.  You know how it goes, as you do more of the thing the faster you get and the less you have to think about it.  You can also see the tonal difference between the primer and the Rakarth that I had mentioned earlier, since that is bare primer on the base.

 

Right now I have him kitted out as a Lord(reroll 1s to hit), Renegade trait(advance then charge), Mark of Slaanesh, Lightning Claws(reroll wounds), Intoxicating Elixir(+1 Attack and 1+ Strength) Exalted Champion Warlord Trait(+1 attack)... so 6, Str 5 attacks at -2 AP, ideally buffed by a Sorcerer with Diabolic Strength(7 attacks at Strength 7), WHILE buffing a 10 man CC Raptor unit for the rerolls, AND that Raptor unit was buffed by Delightful Agonies(5+ FNP).  In my head this looks/performs awesome... but will probably be shot off the table/crippled before doing anything seriously fun. 😂  It has the whole "dangerous enough to be a threat and shouldn't be ignored" vibe going on, I would like to back this up with 2, 5 man Raptor squads with flamers, maybe a 6 strong bike squad too.  Which with this scheme... those might look fantastic.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and if you have any questions let me know.

Cheers.

*I know, I know.. nothing beats World Eater Berserkers for total mulching of enemy units.  To be honest though, I'm kind of over them.
**I did contact them by email, and there was nothing they could do... understandable, it is an old guide... but how exactly does an digital item go out of stock?
*** I did try GW's Zandri Dust base spray... it was just way too yellow in tone and got too far away front the flesh tone of the armor that I currently like.

Painting Progress

Ah, the lean mean grey machines

So after a dogs age... that Rogue Psyker Coven is finished.  Ok, 99.99% finished, I still need to put some static grass on the bases.  All the painting is finished though!  All I have now is the picture I cobbled together with my iPhone, it's not the best picture though.  My apologies.  I did shoot a batch of pictures earlier today with my DSLR and a photo-cube, but I'm having trouble with manual focusing and depth-of-field issues.  So those pictures were pretty terrible.  Most likely due to older eyes.  However, it did make me realize that I need a new camera with a nice autofocus that won't break the bank.  If anyone has any suggestions, let me know, I appreciate the input.

So here's the unit...

Have a turn will you?

A little bloody, but seeing how they are being used to be conduits for the Warp that my Black Legionnaires exploit... it seemed fitting.  In my mind, they were rounded up; festooned with Warp condensers and amplifiers with the resulting power surges melting their faces off when cursing/blasting what their masters point at.  Speaking of coruscating Warp energies... when these guys get possessed in game, I'll attach a sigil in the base to mark which ones are possessed.  Because last game was confusing trying to keep track of who was, or wasn't, possessed.  If you're familiar with the illustrator Wayne Douglas Barlow's work Inferno you'll have an idea of how it will look.  A demonic sigil as a halo right behind, or above, the head.  Now I just need to get some white base paint, and I'll be all set to do the rogue-witch flesh.  But before that guy, who is the big bad of my R&H, the Renegade Ogryns and their Hounds are ready to be finished.  Ogryns are past the black out stage, Hounds still need it, but all the flash is done.

One of Mr. Barlow's illustrations... I love his work.

There was a lot of good little discoveries for this batch of minis.  Namely... a good "leather", exposed bone, and unhealthy skin tone color recipes.  Sometimes I just paint, other times I'm really trying to make sure that I can repeat a certain result so I document the entire process to make sure of that.  Since these minis are the first lot of my R&H, I want to be able to repeat most of these results over the rest of the force.  If anyone wants to know how a certain area was done, just ask.  I don't mind sharing at all.  

I have to admit in all my years of painting minis, I never thought that white primer would be so nice to work with.  Prime white, do all the flesh tones with washes, black out everything else, and block in base colors.  It's been a little labor intensive, but it's been an enjoyable process for me.  I'm a very slow painter remember, but I really want to try that Spartan conversion... and I'm holding on to getting some painting done before I buy anything else.  The back log has been big for a bit, I'd like to knock some units out for a change.  

What IA:13 has done to me

Well then, unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months... and I know I almost have been... then this lovely tome came out.  I am referring to Imperial Armor 13, War Machines of the Lost and the Damned.  I'm not going to review this, since a lot of folks have put stock into several of the units in the book already.  Adam over at The Dice Abide has some thoughtful analysis of the book and I agree with most of it, plus... I don't really have time for actual reviews as much.  He also has some tactical articles as well, he really has done an exhaustive overview so if you haven't gotten the book yet then I suggest you check out his thoughts on it.  This post, like all of them really, focuses on how does this book "effect me/my army?".  Which, truth be told, I think that thought process goes for a lot of the gamers out there when something new comes out.  I can tell you this much, with the Renegades and Heretics(R&H) army list inside this book.  I will never use Cultists from the Chaos Space Marine(CSM) Codex again.  Why?  Because it's too much fun, that's why.  That alone has been the biggest addition to my army... Battle Brother Traitor Guard are back since they were taken away with the new Ally Matrix in 7th.  They really are the rabble and refuse of the Imperium and super cheap points wise for everything you get.  I mean, it almost feels dirty they have so many options.

So I did, of course, make one major purchase and it was the Cadian Defense Force for ~$160 at my FLGS The Guardtower here in Columbus.  Now please keep in mind, I already have 2 squads of 30 Cultists with auto-guns, and another 20 with auto-pistols and close combat weapon(CCW).  So I just added a whole lot of bodies, a few tanks, and a Heavy Weapons Team(HWT) and super bulked out my R&H options.  (Incidentally I also found out with this purchase of The Guardtower's lifetime discount plan... this purchase put me over spending $1,000 at their lovely establishment and as such I now receive 10% off all my purchases store wide.  Pretty cool AND terrifying at the same time.)  So now that I have all these bodies to choose from, and with the bodies I already have, what kind of unwashed horde do I want to build?  Why, a witch coven of course!  When going through R&H one of the first things to jump out at me was the Primaris Rogue-Witch for an HQ.  That unit can be upgraded to Psychic Mastery 2 and take Malefic, it also unlocks the Rogue Psyker Coven as an Elites Choice when they are normally an HQ choice.  Such a great place to start, a witch coven and all those they hold sway over... I'm really excited for this long term project, I've also resigned myself that all my projects are long term.  I just really need to put in more painting days than modeling days to balance it all out.

So... no self respecting cult wouldn't be gunned down without a charismatic/terrifying leader shoving them forward or promising to feed them to the demons if they don't go.  So here is the WIP of my Rogue-Witch HQ.  He's based off of the Warhammer Fantasy Chaos Sorcerer Lord.  Awesome model, it has the Carin Wraith and Nurgle Chaos Lord potential of being versatile enough for a lot of different projects.  However, it needed some sprucing up to feel right.  It started with scraping out the gorget to be able to fit a different head in and replacing the arms.  This head is from the Cadian Command sprue, and the arms are from the Empire Flagellant box.  The clawed hand is from a Ghoul and really sets off the whole "Imma sumOnen DEE-MUNZZ!!1!" vibe.  It also makes him appear a little warp touched but not completely mutated.  Sprinkle on some assorted gubbins of Wrack(LOVELY kit!) vanes, and vials and some pouches and he's mostly finished.  I'm still thinking about the positioning of the right arm, and haven't found the right weapon yet.

So when the plastic Wracks came out, I bought 2 boxes.  It has so many little bits and bobs it is easily on of my favorite kits.  To be honest this was the first unit I built and this unit helped set the tone for the Rogue-Witch above.  I wanted the idea of these guys to be that they were barely in control of the Warp surging through them, or that something very nasty had been bound to them.  That it had wasted their bodies away while giving them an unnatural vigor.  So these guys started out as Wracks with the torsos carefully clipped and then Ghoul torsos put on.  For the heads I used the left over masks from the Carin Wraith sprue.  All that was needed was some green stuff to fill some gaps and round out the heads.  Possibly add some eyes.  Add some vials, vanes, and that little light from the Scion backpacks that I had clip off to make them look like the escaped lab animals I was envisioning.  They came out horrific and perfect.  The only thing I'm still trying to figure out for them is a way to mark them when they become possessed.  Currently I'm thinking of some type of peg or token that goes into the base to mark them as having ascended their mortal coil.

Now, every leader needs some thugs to make sure everyone stays "in line", so enter the Enforcer Cadre.  Think Commissar but having no qualms about executions at all, or dosing the masses with combat drugs to whip them into a frenzy before the charge.  I've seen a lot of people use the Scion kit to great effect and I figured for my Enforcers it would be perfect.  These conversions were really simple.  Defile/remove the Imperial iconography, head swaps, and nick/gouge to taste.  The heads come from Maximini, which have a number of conversion bits available.  I'll be using these heads for the members of the Command Squad as well to help mark them out on the field.

So I also got an Ageis Line as well and have started to Chaosify it with any spare time that has popped up.  This helps feed my auto-cannon fetish that Havoc Squads have started.  I DO love me some auto-cannons.

I did have a chance to play a 750 point game a few weeks ago.  For that amount of points you can bring 50 bodies, a plasmacutioner, an auto-cannon HWT, 5 rogue psychers, and a few Enforcers.  That my friends is gross.  I can see the appeal of massed bodies with massive firepower now.  Something that bog standard CSMs could sort of do, but not as well.  Rogue Psykers are pretty good, they have a Invul Save, but their powers are really something.  Creeping Terror is great, sure it reduces Initiative to 1... which is nothing to sneeze at... but the great part is making effected units only able to Snap Shot.  I shut down my buddies Sicaran for that game, yes he did bring a Sicaran to a 750 pt game, and that was great.  Now the only real downside to the Rogue Psker powers is the range.  They're all at the 12" range.  So yeah, it's risky, but no risk... no reward.

Since starting this I have ordered some bits.  This will help convert my Ogryns, there was a box on clearance form a different shop in town so that was an immediate purchase.  Make another auto-cannon HWT since I already had the actual auto-cannons from a previous bits order.  Shoulder pads from Chaos Marauders and Dreamforge Stormtroopers to mark units on the field since they can be so large.  All in all, I just made a lot more work for myself... thanks Forgeworld for making an irresistible book with all sorts of goodies!  No, that wasn't sarcastic.  Much.