Hi Folks,

After kit bashing and building 2 units of VoidReavers out of various bitz, including a KT VoidReaver set bought on purpose, I’ve finally built and painted the genuine models.

As a foreword, I would say that the quality of the sculpt is high. It is a lot of details and a series of very good-looking models once built. Yet, as comments, let me share that, in my opinion, building these models is a painful experience. Mainly for two or three reasons:

·         First the organization of the sprue is terrible, and you (I) spend(t) hours looking for the right part with the right number.

·         Second, because some building principles change from one mini to another; for example, some have nice tongue and grooves for the arm elbow mounting while other do not have it. It is always puzzeling that good ideas are somehow lost in the process...

·         Third, because the cut of the models make pre-painting or painting by parts difficult, which is a pity for models with such a high level of detail.

Anyway, I DO hope that the rumored release of Corsairs as a new faction will include a recut of these sprues. (Is rumor now fading or is it the kind of stuff that will resurrect now that Drukhari Codex is at sight?). I also see a recut as a good way to clarify the Role and Structure of the VoidScarred built out of the box as these are a rather odd unit. I am myself convinced that they would also be better with all the minor characters taken out of the kit and made available separately: the Master sniper, the Assassin, the 2 Psykers of different flavor. And getting the VoidScarred made tactically more distinct than the VoidReavers. Maybe as an über HtH unit only?

Back on the topicnow; let’s set this aside and focus on the paint job.

Method wise, I have decided to keep on the approach I have used on the kitbashed VoidReavers : base coated models in Black, then series of dry brushes, and big splash of Gryph-hound orange as a main colour ...

What changed with these models is mainly the capes and the granularity of the details. I have decided not to go into too much details as I am prone to ruin the colors already set. SO I am light on details, counting on the natural shading offered by the Contrast paint and the lightning done with yellow. The base color obtained is moreover not giving too much space to contrasting leather on orange. So it is a little bit plain. But going to black leather would have, according to my tastes, hidden to much the orange. The pauldron and the cape already make the models darker, so adding more dark touches was not something I wished.

Result is as expected a battle-ready standard, but I am a little bit less convinced than with the previous kitbashed VoidReavers. Once again and as previously stated, the result looks darker, and the capes and overload of details make the models a little bit otT. Anyway, this unit of genuine models with D-Cannon is still probably the one that will see the main battlefields more often. I love D-Cannons after all.  

Some details on the capes; these are mostly black and plain cloth except a couple of ones with fur details (not shown), one with feathers, two made of reptile skins and one of “other kinds” of patchworked skins.

Feathers were painted in Dark blue (as on some of my Scourges) and skin with the same scheme as on my Mandrakes. Lizzard skins are based with Horus green, shaded in Drakenhof blue and dry-brushed in Thunderhawk blue. A recipe previously seen on GW painting tutorials for some Termagant skin tones I think…

See you later with a family portrait of these Pirates among other Asuryanii.

EDIT: btw, I have just noticed that the KT Corsair set is now marked "Sold out Online" on UK, US and FR GW webstores. Could it be a sign or another webmaster's mistake (last week the Vyper was also marked "Sold out Online" before coming back today on shelves...)