Search the Community

UPDATE: The Liber Astartes article with the warband's full background and writeup can be found by clicking on the following image: And in Inspirational Friday: Timelines of Treachery you can find all the fluff/fiction I've written about the warband over years of IF entries. The mere bones of a project at the moment, but I do hope to (slowly, as my IG are my main army and my Scythes of the Emperor is slow enough. This project is likely to be glacial) build up a Slaanesh-themed CSM force (or, if GW ever produce a pure Slaanesh book, then chaos marines and daemons). Their name will be the Psychopomps. In Myth 'psychopomps' are creatures, spirits, angels or deities whose responsibility is to guide newly deceased souls to the afterlife. These marines and their followers have decided to start giving souls a bit of a kick start on that journey.

For starters, the feudal shrineworld's background (skip it if you just want to see minis). Markings While most household troops go to war in their pristine uniforms, some (usually those who have seen regular combat) often don more battle-worthy armour and fatigues. Nevertheless, a unit’s battlefield role is indicated by coloured markings upon their armour and uniform in a manner akin to that of Arcadian regiments (c.f. the Arcadian 5th): Units fulfilling a command role such as company command squads display yellow markings. Units in a support role have blue markings. Examples include heavy weapon squads and dedicated transports. Assault units such as cavalry and many veteran units are marked with green. Infantry squads and other such line/tactical units are indicated by red markings. White indicates conscripts. Black indicates penitents. Infantry display these colours on hat bands, trouser stripes and epaulets (in the case of those wearing `soft` armour) or as a vertical stripe over the helmet and the front, back and lower side trim of shoulder pads (in the case of those wearing `hard` armour). Should an officer wear an aiguillette, the primary colour will be that of his unit type, with yellow or gold tips indicating his command position. Dual roles are indicated by combining two colours in these locations. This medic (white crescent trim) is assigned to a company command squad (yellow epaulets and hat band). Were he assigned to a platoon command squad he would have white trim on red epaulets. This veteran is a member of a company command squad, hence his yellow markings. This lieutenant commands a platoon command squad, hence his yellow hat band and the fact that his epaulets are yellow trimmed with red and his aiguillette is yellow tipped with red. Note that while platoons may include support and/or assault elements (heavy and special weapon squads) their colours are not indicated on the markings of the platoon command squad. This sergeant commands an infantry squad, hence his red hat band and the fact that his epaulets are red trimmed with yellow and his aiguillette is red tipped with yellow. This guardsman belongs to an infantry squad, hence his red markings. This sharpshooter belongs to a special weapons squad, hence his blue markings. His squad leader here too has a blue stripe and blue trim. As he is not a sergeant he lacks yellow markings (which would be a single yellow stripe along the top trim of the shoulder pads). This guardsman is a member of a veteran unit assigned to a close-assault role (tank-hunting, specifically) and so has green markings. Note that many veteran units dirty up their unit markings in the field to reduce their visibility. His sergeant: green trim and yellow command additions, weathered. This unit of homo sapiens variatus has a non-regulation standard in black, indicating their penitent status. Their custodian, a junior priest, has black trim upon his armour to indicate their role and his acceptance of leading the flock to their retribution. Ground vehicles primarily display these colours upon heraldic shields (mounted on the right side of any turret present), and occasionally other locations. This Medusa fulfills a support role and so its shield has a blue background. This is the shield of a Chimera transport assigned to a command squad, thus it displays both blue and yellow, with added red to reflect the squad’s role in commanding line units. The golden wreath indicates the high rank of the officer aboard. Additional markings One common marking seen upon infantry is a skull on the shoulder pad. This indicates a heroic action by the individual. It is coloured as per the individual’s role and/or unit type. The above image shows a master of ordnance’s shoulder armour, then that of a special weapon squad leader and a penitent squad custodian’s.

I intend to make a Mentor Legion kill team (likely it'll snowball from there. These things always do) and so am opening this thread to record my progress. So far I have: The purist old git in my wants to go with the Owl emblem but for ease of painting (and the fact that red, white and green look good) I'm using the newer iconography. I do intend to feature the Owl head somewhere though. An HQ banner, perhaps. There I go thinking beyond Kill Team already. I also have a box of sniper scouts I was going to use for my Scythes of the Emperor, but that project is being folded, so the snipers are a possible addition to this project. A box of push fit marines is on order for painting practice before I shell out for a Tactical squad box or whatever. One thing I do envision for these marines is having them loaded down with lots of equipment. Pouches and stuff all over the place. likewise any vehicles.

For many, herein lies an article which can safely be filed away under the title ` I Already Know.` A lot of us have smart or mobile phones with camera built in. Not a lot of us have what is required for high quality photographs of miniatures: really good digital cameras, light boxes, time and patience (I myself lack all four. Particularly the last two). However, all too often I see images posted of miniatures photographed with mobile phone cameras which are of pitifully poor quality. Bad lighting. Camera focused on the base or table. Camera focused on the keyboard behind the miniatures. Camera focused on the image on the book/miniature box behind/under the miniatures. Photo includes a lot of surroundings. Needs cropping. When you spent time painting miniatures to the best of your ability, isn’t it a shame you can’t present them a little better? If your painting isn’t all that good, if you can post reasonable images then other B&C members can give useful advice on how to improve your painting. The point of this tutorial is to show that it’s not that hard to take reasonable (dare I say decent?) images with the camera of a smart phone. Quickly too. Gear 1. Camera-equipped mobile or smart phone. If you have a digital camera, even a very basic one, you can improve your photographs with a bit more time and preparation. 2. Photographic background. Nothing fancy. A plain sheet of white paper under the miniature and curving up behind them will suffice, but a decent coloured one is better. Like the one you can download for free and print off from the B&C itself: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/files/file/7-photo-background/ Or, as I recently discovered, a black sheet (okay, I admit it: actually a plain black dress shirt or T-shirt). White paper background. Photographic gradient background Black sheet background All three were taken with the same camera, in the same lighting, same position. But that last one came out awful, didn't it? So I tried this: Put a piece of white paper in the corner of the photo. And cropped it out. Far better. Optional You can of course get decent photos with your smart phone camera’s basic build in app (including cropping, on an iPhone), but personally I prefer an app with a few more options: cropping, at the very least and adjustable exposure if possible. I’m not into cameras at all and the word `photo exposure` used to make me grumble “Sounds complicated” and run away. But stick with me here. I use Camera+ (which will set you back all of a pound/couple of dollars/perhaps 200 yen?) but there are likely a lot of other good apps out there. By all means reply with suggestions. What to do I don’t have good light in my living room. A combined 30 & 38Watt double-ring light. I put the miniature on the background sheet somewhere as well lit as possible. Camera shake is also a problem so, if you don’t have some kind of tripod (I’ve seen some smartphone cases with built in tripods) then make sure you can rest your elbows/forearms against something to steady your hands as well as possible while you snap away. Of course, you could put your phone on a surface and use a timer, but I find I’m rarely able to get the angles I want that way. Now get reasonably close, but not so close that your camera can’t focus on the model (sounds obvious, but considering some of the blurred images I’ve seen...). Even the basic iPhone camera app will focus on whatever you tap on the screen, so tap about a bit until you’ve got it focused on the miniature (not the base. Often my camera picks up on the texture of the base and stubbornly tries to focus on that. Don’t fight the machine spirit. Guide it where you want it). Now, if you’re using Camera+ you can tap on the little plus in the top right of the focus box.... ….to lock the focus, then move the exposure circle around (alright, that photo's blurred terribly, but that's because I had to push the power and menu buttons simultaneously for a screenshot). Experiment with this as, moving the exposure circle to a dark area on the image will lighten everything (and can get you far lighter photos than you might first expect. Using the gradient background gives you lighter and darker areas to experiment with). You can also fiddle with exposure compensation, focus lock, exposure lock and white balance lock at the bottom of the screen. Not something I’ve yet fiddled with. Let’s keep this simple. So, you’ve got your image focused (and nicely exposed). So take some shots. If possible press the shutter icon lightly rather than snapping shots with the volume button, which will probably move the camera. As I said before, try to make sure your arms are braced firmly. And take at least two shots of each angle as one will probably come out badly. Once you’ve taken plenty of images from various angles (try standing the mini atop a paint pot for some shots from low angles. Just make sure the background sheet is always behind the mini, please!) you can put away the background and mini, grab a coffee and either email the photos to your PC for uploading or - with your camera app - do some cropping and fiddle with other options. Camera+ also lets you fiddle afterwards with not only the exposure but clarity, rotating/flipping, straightening (if you’re shots are a bit wonky), tints, duotone, soft focus, film grain (combined with the sepia filter and film-like frame you can put together some nice shots), sharpening, blurring, saturation, temperature, brightness and contrast, highlights and shadows and vignette. All: Lightbox -> Edit -> The Lab. Most of which I have never used because I haven’t the time and I just want some good, clear shots. As good as you can get with a digital camera and a light box? No. But decent, I hope.

Inspirational Friday: The Death Guard For those who do not know it, Inspiration Friday is a (generally) fortnightly weekly event within its home in the Chaos Space Marines forum, in which a topic is set for members to write short (or long if the muse takes you) fluff/fan-fic pieces about their war bands, characters and models. And today begins our fourteenth challenge of Inspirational Friday 2017: Death Guard The 14th legion. The sons of Mortarion. Warriors of Barbarus. Formerly the Dusk Raiders. The first-blessed of Grandfather Nurgle. Once warriors of strength, strong will and stern resolution, they were ravaged by plague whilst trapped in the warp en route to Terra. Their lord, Mortarion, swore fealty to Nurgle and saw his sons transformed into Plague Marines; their flesh bubbling with corruption, their innards spilling through lesions in their putrid skin and their bodies and weapons oozing with slime. They rule over the Plague Planet where sickness and pestilence are the norm, where miasmic clouds bring contagion and death and where the diseased pray to Nurgle for relief from their constant agony. When the Death Guard march from the Eye, or the Cicatrix Maledictum, there goes before them countless pandemics which ravage those who would oppose them even before the Plague Marines strike and bring the blessings of Grandfather Nurgle... Inspirational Friday: Death Guard runs until the 11th of August. Let us be inspired. To whomever wins IF: Death Guard goes the Pox Amulet... ...and the honour of judging the next challenge (which they can relinquish to me if they wish). Why would anyone other than a heretic want such an accursed bauble? To prevent the forces of Chaos from laying their claws on it, of course! Please submit your entries (and any questions you might have) in the main IF thread linked to above.

As a youth yoof I had a predominately Evil Sunz army, starting off with the old box of 36 plastic Space Orks you could get for twenty quid. I had a load of metal minis too including the first Shokk Attack Gun and some artillery. Even had two of the first battlewagon, one of which was adorned with my very own canine teeth. No joke. The B&C now allowing Xenos, it allows me to explore an urge I've had since getting back into the hobby, an urge which got stronger as I looked over the AoS greenskin range actually. A (predominantly) Snakebite army. I played with the name generator in Waaargh The Orks! and after a couple of rolls I got... ...which pretty much sealed the deal and Waaaaargh Grimsnaga was born. I chose Snakebites as they're not often done and I rather like the imagery... ...and as I said I'd like to use some of the AoS Orcs in my army. I'll be starting with the Start Collecting: Ironjaws box from which will come... Warboss Grimsnaga himself atop a warbike cyboar. Will be riveting or strapping some dakka guns onto the boar. Will likely give Grimsnaga himself the eyepatch-head. Do I keep that excellent looking Big Choppa or give him a Power Klaw? The other two...one a Painboy, for sure. The other...I'm not yet decided. Snakebites do have Meks, so that's a possibility. These... ...will be nobs, if 'ardboyz don't make a comeback in an eventual codex. Perhaps Snakebites, perhaps not. Looooong ago there was an Ork mini of a pair of Minderz 'firing' their weirdboy: In remembrance of that, my weirdboy (perhaps with copper staff rather than dem bones): ...will he held aloft by four minderz: More savage orks will be simply boyz, of which I know I'll need a lot. Savage boarboys will get their mounts cybered to varying degrees to be more bikers. Stormboyz Da Batz "If Gork n' Mork 'ad wanted Orks ta fly dey'd 'ave given uz batsquigs. And dey 'as!" Some of the savage orks will be getting batsquigs implanted onto their backs (gargoyle wings and Green Stuff). No jump packs for Grimsnaga's boyz. Commandoes Da Bloody Braves Da 'ardest and the maddest of Grimsnaga's boyz, dey likes ta get kickin' da enemies before everyone else so deyz sneaks up right close, like snakes, and STRIKES! No one tells 'em dat deyz a buncha sneaky gitz, coz they likez ta eat everything an' everyone and suck all da blood out and paint demselves in funny patterns wiv it. Khornate Snakebite commandoes. And some regular (Snakebite) boyz with shootas. The sluggas from the kit will be given to the AoS models. Allies Mates I like the AoS Moonclan grots (old models though they are) and intend to get a few boxes as time goes on, to convert into gretchin. Will be scratchbuilding a lot of guns (though likely not one each). These will be owned by a Bad Moon runtherd. The Badmoon Rising Take one Necron flyer. Tear out the pilot. Tear off the pansy guns. Tip it so it flies vertically like a crescent moon. Stick a Badmoon Mek-flyboy in it. Paint it up Orky. Possibly do the weapons as magnetised pods on the sides so I can change between dakka jet and the bomber types. Perhaps the runtherd and his grots are the flyboy's ground crew/hangers on. OpFor Base decoration and trophies When I make an army I always decide who their foe is. My Imperial Guard were modelled as if facing an old friend's Bad Moons, as features in the regiment's home world history. My Psychopomps are modelled fighting Harlequins and Biel Tan Eldar, sacrificing their souls to Slaanesh. My Mentors will be in a diorama against a Genestealer cult. ...and for my Snakebites I have chosen Necrons. Opposites in many ways. The puny tin men will also make nice trophies! And back banners. Lots of back banners. Challenges completed: Waargh 2019 No joke. For reference Ork Skin My quick recipe is: Basecoat - Deathworld Forest Heavy drybrush - Elysian Green Light drybrush - Ogryn Camo Wash - Athenian Camoshade Or if I’ve got a bit more time (characters): Basecoat - Deathworld Forest First highlight - Elysian Green Second highlight - Ogryn Camo Wash - Athenian Camoshade Final highlight - Ogryn Camo

...'e lost 'is leg, but 'e ain't gonna lose 'is loot!" An old model and old photos (I hope they're okay) but this Blood Axe commando is pretty much the only Greenskin I own. He was made for use as an objective counter when I used to play against a mate who had Orks. He's one of the box-of-4 pushfits with minor conversion work. Mainly the removal of his right foot ;) The rucksack is GS (as is the gasmask) and full of bitz. Winter camo vest, desert camo helmet and chestplate, forest camo trousers and blue urban camo shoulder plate, he's ready for any terrain :tu: And the funny thing is that I won an Ork competition with him :tu: GW Jimboucho always used to have a painting comp when a new codex came out, and I won the Ork one with this guy :D

The Assault on Eibhir I don't have an Eldar army but when I decided some years ago to enter my Psychopomps (my Slaaneshi heretic astartes) in Armies On Parade i decided that I wanted to not just show the army but to show them at war. What more fitting a foe than Eldar? I discussed with my local GW's staff which craftworld would look best fighting my pastel-heavy CSM and he first suggested Saim-Hann, which I turned down as I wasn't keen on doing a lot of jetbikes (plus I'd just finished making Crusade-era 1kSons and wasn't in the mood for colours close to red), so he suggested Biel-Tan. Over the years of prep I added a few Eldar bitz as... ...Basing materials Sacrifices... ...Snacks... ...more snacks... ...and lots of trophies and some not getting killed/tortured, for display on the AoP base itself. With the B&C now allowing Eldar I thought I'd show the Biel-Tan and Harlequin Eldar I did for the display (The Psychopomp assault upon the Biel-Tan maidenworld of Eibhir). First of all, the Armies on Parade diorama, which got me Silver: Hidden Content Silver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on FlickrSilver: Psychopomps by Nehebkau, on Flickr I'll post photos of the Eldar models next.