Alpha Legion Kill team + Bonus Death Guard Kill team

[jester_prince]

I'm trying to get my friend into wargaming, so rather then force him to spend a huge amount of money to buy an army only to discover he hates it. I decided I would build two kill teams and introduce it to him that way.

 

I also thought it would be a fun little side project to do some Alpha Legionaries (one of my two favorite legions from the HH series).

 

My initial idea was to do HH era Alpha Legion but I decided that limits me too much and he wants to play Tau, so I would do 40k.

 

I also happen to have some Primaris Intercessors just sitting around I wasn't going to use, I can make them look like Alpha Legion with a bit of green stuff and some heavy use of a knife right? Chaos Primaris is going to happen eventually right? 

 

I am probably going to play with as Primaris counts as, though I will try not to deviate too much and leave the option there to play as pure chaos too as Id like to do some non astartes Alpha Legion agents.

 

I was going for a not obviously chaosified warband, that could be loyalist or traitor side of the Alpha Legion coin as I like the fact they are kinda grey sometimes. I subscribe to the theory that the AL are playing both sides and some warbands fell to chaos while some are just playing the part.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190202_223748-e1549147508124.jpg

 

My Kill team rule book is on order, so I actually have no idea what is and isn't allowed rules wise.

 

I was thinking about getting some Reivers as I think they suit the Alpha Legion mythos (Omegon in legion just plodding through that laser grid, badass!) but are they any worth taking in Kill team?

 

Is the Tau starter set worth getting? Can Tau take a battle suit (this was the aspect that really sold the Tau to my mate) in kill team?

Edited April 3, 2019 by Brother Tyler
tags edited

[Pearson73]

A nice looking squad and a good idea to introduce your friend, I agree that Reivers would be a cool and fitting addition.

[jester_prince]

Half the team done. I couldnt seem to recreate the recipie I did on my HH era Alpha legion display model, so after much fretting I went with a slightly different approach as I didn't want to strip the model and start again. A bit of metalic still shows through in places so its subtle, so I added some green highlights and some purple lows to give the armour a kind of pearecent effect (I hope), as im pretty sure in the books the AL armour is described as blue, green and purple at different points asif no one can agree, either way it fits their style.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190205_231154.jpg

 

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190203_233829.jpg

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190203_233657.jpg

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190206_225203.jpg

Edited February 6, 2019 by jester_prince

[jester_prince]

I've all but based my Alpha Legion kill team and started some bonus Death Guard. I decided rather then diving straight into the TAU for my friends army I'd quickly paint up the models I already have (and was just planning to sell on previously). So we will be having a bit of traitor on traitor action for now.

 

If he likes the game one of us can pick up the TAU. 

 

C&C welcome.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190223_164532.jpg

 

It's been cool painting something more corrupted, though I am not a fan of the random testicles and spines on Nurgle models, so alot of the easier ones to remove have been and slightly re-modeled. 

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190223_164950.jpg

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_20190223_164954.jpg

Edited February 23, 2019 by jester_prince

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Grandfather Nurgle is surely happy with the honor you offer unto him, via your works.

[jester_prince]

Grandfather Nurgle is surely happy with the honor you offer unto him, via your works.

Thanks,

I have mixed feelings about the sculpts, all the models are alot more dynamic then the old so called "multi pose" kits (which out of the box youd get maybe 2-3 decent poses and a handful of awkward ones with some cutting). But there are some weird aesthetics to the newer nurgle models I don't like. 

 

Do you have any suggestions for a Death Guard kill team (limited to the models in the starter kit). Something easy to play for a n00b and a guy whos been out of the hobby for a very long time to learn the game with. I know its not really the right topic area but It will influence what I paint up.

[jester_prince]

I offer up 2 more Deathguard and an offering of 7 (as is only appropriate) Poxwalkers to Nurgle.

C&C welcome, I can post better pictures if requested, not that anyone pays much attention to my lowly little thread.

I wanted to get these guys done tonight so that when Shadowspear comes they wont sit unpainted forever.

They arent to a great standard but should do on a tabletop, airbrush made quick work of the poxwalkers.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190315_002946-e1552609987908.jpg

Edited March 15, 2019 by jester_prince

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your models are well-painted.

[jester_prince]

I've decided to reboot my old Space marine chapter (previously the Iron Hawks) with the new shadowspear kit. Which suits my chapters Camo scheme perfectly. 

 

However, after painting up a few models in my old scheme I've come to the conclusion that its a little dull, at a distance they just kinda look like unpainted greys and alot of the weathering I did has blended is as Grey on metallic silver just looks like grey, especially at a distance, which isn't helped by the camo scheme I've selected.

 

I also added a bit of colour to contrast the scheme a little. I've elected for white with a light grey camo, with orange trim.

 

Plus I think white with Orange trim always looks great.

 

I'd like your guys thoughts on this, should I stick with the older, dark grey scheme or are you a fan of my new theme. They also need a new name as when they were originally created "Iron Hawks" were not a thing, turns out, atleast according to the wikis, they are an official chapter, so I'm gonna need a new name. Any suggestions?

 

C&C welcome and encouraged.

 

WIP model, new scheme.

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190322_175253-e1553283553627.jpg

Old scheme

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_20190126_165426-e1548524028758.jpg

 

 

 

The rest of the shadowspear box is getting turned into an Alpha legion force. I wasn't going to do it, I was just going to do a kill team. But the new models are gorgous and I had to have them.

 

They are getting a significant bit of working up however to make them a little less overtly chaosified however as I don't think that suits their way of espionage if they can't atleast pretend to be a regular chapter.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190320_191705-e1553283503195.jpg

 

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190320_184445-e1553283429958.jpg

Edited March 22, 2019 by jester_prince

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like the urban warfare camouflage pattern on your Reiver and Inceptor. The poses look acceptably dramatic, especially considering the Inceptor is a brick when assembled according to Games Workshop's plans; I can't imagine how much effort you put in the model, to make it look good.

[jester_prince]

I like the urban warfare camouflage pattern on your Reiver and Inceptor. The poses look acceptably dramatic, especially considering the Inceptor is a brick when assembled according to Games Workshop's plans; I can't imagine how much effort you put in the model, to make it look good.

 

Thanks, the inceptor is actually the commander and inceptor kit merged and all the excess gubbins filed off and green stuffed out. I much prefer simple plain armour on my "loyalist" marines. Going so far as to remove aquilas. Partly because it interferes with the camo scheme too much.

[Ryltar Thamior]

Those Alpha Legion primaris are very cool. Nice blending of the touches from the headhunters and other styles of XXth kit with the plastics.

And always good to see some camouflaged Marines. Keep it up. 

[jester_prince]

Small update on my non primaris AL using shadowspear black legion. C&C welcome. Thinking the Axe head will be swapped for a Falx.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190329_230341.jpg

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_20190329_230404.jpg

[Gederas]

Love the scales on the Aspiring Champion. Those look so good.

[jester_prince]

Those Alpha Legion primaris are very cool. Nice blending of the touches from the headhunters and other styles of XXth kit with the plastics.

 

Thanks, I always adored the headhunters kit, fortunately the head hydra teeth is a ridiculously easy conversion to pull off with MK IV and Primaris MK 10 helmets.

 

 

And always good to see some camouflaged Marines. Keep it up. 

 

Will do, Shadowspear couldn't be more perfect for camo marines either, I will just need to do some work to the make those Suppressors look good without the flightstands.

[jester_prince]

Love the scales on the Aspiring Champion. Those look so good.

 

Thanks, I was a little worried they were  bit big, I was aiming for a finer scale, more akin to the forge world sculpts but the rock under his foot made the sculpt a pain and after a few hours trying I ended up settling on a larger scale.

[jester_prince]

Has anyone ever come accross some good, none cultist looking civilian models? Either GW or third party that still fits 40k. I want to add some "rebels" to my Alpha Legion without them looking too chaosified and more angry mob.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Impressive work on the Alpha Legionnaire.

[jester_prince]

Long, wordy update on some of the weirder/cooler stuff I've been working on. My friends "commissioned" me to paint up their kill teams, and by commissioned I mean, bought me a redemptor dread and some booze.

 

So be warned, there may be some filthy xenos content mixed in with the interesting stuff, but I figured I would include it as an excuse as to why I havn't progressed with my own stuff. 

 

My friend also loved my death guard kill team so much he has offered to buy it off me and pay me to paint up the rest of the box I was probably going to ignore anyway.

 

First up, one half painted blight drone over my now filthy desk

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190609_204456-e1560809736470.jpg

 

Two of my reiver kill team, I would say these guys are probably my best paint ob to date and much less reliant on just washes to get the job done.

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190529_223111-e1560809819412.jpg

 

 

First lot of bolter fodder

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190415_215100-e1560810013601.jpg

Second lot of bolter fodder:

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190415_220316-e1560810114814.jpg

Okay this is the seriously work in progress stuff. One "primaris" jump pack captain (40k) or vanguard veteran (kill team) counts as. 

I really love jump packs and the interceptors and bouncy castle marines really aren't doing it for me in terms of 40k madness. I like my marine captains up in your face with a thunder hammer or power sword cool. Sitting at the back buffing is not fun for the narrative.

 

So he's essentially a reiver with a jump pack. The lighter more agile looking phobos armour actually looks okay with old marine jump packs.

 

http://arran.design/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190617_225523-e1560810267238.jpg

 

So the really weird blob of plastic, wire and miliputt is my very rough and crude attempt at updating those ghastly space marine bikes. 

My plan is to buy a couple of the genestealer dirt bikes and mount some scout bikers on them provided the scale fits, (if anyone has done this already can you link me).

 

The problem is I want my army to be entirely primaris and scouts (and mostly phobos armour) as the chapter specialises in covert, gurilla and hit and run tactics (hence all the camo).

 

I can't see the old bikes (which I hate anyway) looking good with primaris. So it was either scratch build the bikes or try make the genestealer dirt bikes look beefy enough for a primaris.

 

I figure the first thing to try is the scratch build option as I have all the tools and apparently all the time too. I never liked the "cruiser" style for space marine bikes, they look awkward, impractical and waay too low for a battlefield/recce role. A dirt bike seems way too small for a beefy space marine, we need to go bigger.

 

Whats bigger then a dirt bike? A BIG Dirt bike, also known as an adventure bike (of which I am the proud owner of IRL, so I am a little biased). Perfect. I can create a cool looking space marine bike and make broom broom noises as I push him around the table pretending he's me. Its loosely based of an r1200gsa which for anyone who knows bikes, is a beastly thing even by adventure bike standards and makes some cars look small. A space marine wouldn't look out of place riding one and could easly make riding one look as easy as a dirt bike. I guess someone dug up the STC from BMW's vaults?

 

I will be up armouring the bike with armoured panels and details to try make it look more 40k. Along with some practical luggage racks (with enough supplies and weaponry for a long operation deep behind enemy lines.

 

The problem I am running into is that my plasticard cutting skills suck and making wheels is going to take forever. I thought about making one and casting it, but I have never had any success casting in the past. I am not sure genestealer bike wheels would be big enough to fit this thing and I can't find any third party proxies? My only other hope is to find a toy  that closely matches. Any suggestions?

 

What do you think? Does the 40k adventure bike stye work for primaris marines?

Edited June 17, 2019 by jester_prince

[jester_prince]

I've been inspired by some fan art recently and wanted to see if I could recreate some into miniatures. Neither are finished, as is my scatter brained experimentation. Sorry for bad photos, camera is smashed and takes barley in focus at best coupled with poor lighting equals bad photos.

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2021 by jester_prince