BA Army Expansion + Chapter Fortress

[Midnightmare]

Great to see you posting fresh stuff AM, and as usual they are ALL awesome I do like the defense line and quad gun (you are the first person I have actually seen make that look good, well done!). Loverrrley power weapons as ever Great kitbashing too.

Please continue.

[Angelus Mortifer]

Great to see you posting fresh stuff AM, and as usual they are ALL awesome I do like the defense line and quad gun (you are the first person I have actually seen make that look good, well done!). Loverrrley power weapons as ever Great kitbashing too.

Please continue.

Cheers Midnight - it's been too long matey. I'm still following your thread and decided to do a deal with you - - - I'll finish my Fortress at the same time you finish Lemartes and his wing-ed friends .

Actually home today so doing some more to the Dread Pod. That thing has been in the works for at least 3 years but I'm finally committing to getting it done

[Angelus Mortifer]

"Taxi for Mr Furian! Paging Mr Furian, your taxi is here!"

So I finally got around to tackling the DC Drop Pod. I don't normally mind vehicles but this just sucked the soul out of me. It's finished up to a point, minus the re-entry damage, which even now I'm not 100% sure on and which has been the main cause of delaying this thing. The problem stems from having a clean, deep black base colour - doesn't leave a lot of flexibility. I'm thinking if doing several layers in this order:

- Chaos Black/Scorched Brown mix (50/50)
- Scorched Brown (100)
- Vallejo Gunmetal
- Chaos Black burn damage
- Watered down Badab Black wash to tie it all together

First layers will be streaked dry-brushing about 1/3 up the side of the Pod from the base. Thoughts and suggestions welcome, particularly as I don't have the confidence to not screw it up

Anyhoo, at least Furian has a taxi now that is all pinned, glued and painted, and which doesn't fall apart in a light breeze.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP1_zps83604ca2.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP2_zps2e7eb297.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP3_zps2c77d917.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP4_zps2024f84e.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP5_zps6eb51726.jpg

[Angelus Mortifer]

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP6_zps8c063cec.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Blood%20Angels/DP7_zps036aae2e.jpg

 

Might leave the re-entry damage for a bit as I've started my next project, JP Honour Guard. We'll see...

[t4play]

Like it

[marine7312000]

I have to sugest leavng the droppod alone. It looks amazng as it is right now.

[Ushtarador]

Depends on what look you're going for. At the moment it's obviously not a realistic style, but still looks very nice! :)

[Jorre]

Looks brilliant!!! But how does he fit the banner pole in the drop pod :)

[Angelus Mortifer]

Looks brilliant!!! But how does he fit the banner pole in the drop pod :)

Before he was interred, he was very good friends with brother Techmarine Ins-pectorgadg-et... so naturally it is retractable :)

 

Definitely want to go for a little more realism. Whilst the army is "fresh to the battlefield" in look, atmospheric re-entry will ruin even the most thorough buffing and polishing. Need to psyke myself up for doing the burn damage, so I'll lose myself in Honour Guard for a little while before finishing it off.

[Angelus Mortifer]

So, after a temporary hiatus involving a house move, I'm back on it (again ). The upshot of the move is that I now have a fully-fledged MAN CAVE, so I now have my own little forgeworld to roll out more Blood Angels and friends.

My JP Honour Guard are still on the slab but I'm putting them on hold given we might get a new book in the not too distant future. It would be lame to spend all the time and effort only to have Plasma Guns removed as an option. Bodies, packs and wings are all done, but arms and weapons are yet to be decided.

One thing that won't be going away any time soon are... Knights!!! Decided to start on a House Hawkshroud Errant to use with my BAs. Their homeworld of Krastellan is only a hop, skip and a jump from Baal, and the house have a tradition of displaying iconography and heraldry of their allies on the Knight's armour, making it doubly good.

Decided to be a bit different with my first one and go for a white colour scheme. The reason being that the Knight's pilot has been sanctioned by the house for deficiencies displayed during a combined arms deployment with the BA 2nd company, the actions of which lead to an unacceptable loss of materiel and personnel from an allied Mechanicus contingent. As punishment, the pilot has had the traditional yellow of the house heraldry stripped from their mount, and they are now oathsworn to the 2nd company for 10years before talk of earning back her "colours" is mentioned again. If I get round to having a second Knight, it will be in the standard yellow of Hawkshroud.

Still a long way to go but here is some of the early work.

White colour scheme, working up from Fenrisian Grey/Steel Legion.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot1_zps3d922d9d.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot2_zpsc0500ee8.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot3_zps5caa847f.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot4_zps0023aec8.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot5_zpsc3447bda.jpg

Also attempting some battle damage to this model, to show their protracted deployment in the field.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Foot6_zpscd5e8ea8.jpg

[Angelus Mortifer]

I also wanted to get some more movement in the basic kit, so I cut up the left leg so that I can pose it stalking through some Mechanicus rubble. You have to be careful with the end position of the bent leg, so that it doesn't block where the rear hosing goes.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Leg2_zps68f61513.png

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/bd1bc84a-688f-49b3-987f-5728434babc7_zps10fcea70.jpg

 

Metal and gold work pretty much finished to the first leg.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/ae621ca9-dda1-4195-bb88-fc0084da1ce0_zps956bc45b.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg5_zps683d0123.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg6_zpsa184221e.jpg

[Angelus Mortifer]

Torso and leg section finished.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg7_zps80290614.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg8_zpsa5a574bc.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg9_zps8f9a936e.jpg

 

I also drilled a small hole in the top of the hip dome, but more on that later.

 

[Angelus Mortifer]

Armour plates done with the same battle damage and weathering. The twin blood drops to the right knee plate confirm the Knight as being oathsworn to the 2nd Company.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Armour2_zps2ec82547.jpg

 

First campaign marking added.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/68d36c3a-c304-4409-ad7d-d33e9af332ed_zpsdb4fd9c2.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/861cc680-8750-4e00-bfd4-b04b1df7d60e_zpse58418bb.jpg

 

Really love the decals by the way. Look very cool and easier to use than previous iterations.

[Angelus Mortifer]

Where I'm at so far.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/RightLeg11_zps2a32ff6b.jpg

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/RightLeg10_zps0da06002.jpg

 

Next up, sanding the green stuff filler to the bent leg and getting that pinned and base-coated.

 

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Legs5_zps9e1646cb.jpg

 

More to follow.

 

[Angelus Mortifer]

Managed to get some more done to my BA honour-bound Knight.

Left leg is pretty much done and additional BA markings added. House Hawkshroud traditionally display ally iconography and affiliations on the knee pads as well as the Knight's right shoulder. The kit comes with several wreath transfers, which are quite big, but there are no smaller versions to rectify the same for the knee armour.

Whilst it's always fun rummaging through your bits box for conversions and stuff, it's also satisfying when you find a transfer from your 40k stash that works almost perfectly. Got this one from the Baneblade kit, and recently bought the BA transfer sheet from FW to get a small enough BA icon to fit. Pretty chuffed how it's coming along.

Second set of leg armour done, with honoured ally mark.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Armour4b_zps438467cf.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Armour4c_zps24038caa.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Armour4a_zpse2e42362.jpg

Completed left leg section with the bend of the knee done.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg1_zps4707b82b.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg2_zpsde56c5d6.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/LeftLeg3_zpsbdaef4c0.jpg

Next pics will be of the completed legs sections all attached, with all the additional cabling, banner etc, and a dry-fit for the base. The Knight is meant to be striding through a ruined Mechanicus facility, and there'll either be a Scout Squad or a handful of Tacs providing infantry support (not that something that big needs it very often )

[Voxxel]

Great stuff man! Love this wip thread! The only thing you could improve is your camera quality :P

[Midnightmare]

Masterfully good so far AM - looking forward to seeing more of this bad boy! :-)

[Angelus Mortifer]

Great stuff man! Love this wip thread! The only thing you could improve is your camera quality

Ha! A constant gripe of mine and others throughout this thread . Hopefully my finished pics will turn out better than the WIPs.

Masterfully good so far AM - looking forward to seeing more of this bad boy! :-)

Cheers Midnight... ask and you shall receive (although don't bank on this happening every time ).

Managed to finish the whole of the lower section, adding the banner, inner pistons and one of the two rear cables. Because the left leg is in a different position to the stock pose, the piston sits awakwardly in the slot (but thankfully the pelvic armour hides this mostly), and I'll have to convert the rear cable on that side as it doesn't reach the intended thigh port.

Banner complete, detailing House allegiance, further honour markings, and current allied secondment.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Banner1_zpsda746881.jpg

A duplicate of the pilot's oath sworn to the 9th Legion is replicated on the back of the banner.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Banner2_zpse3c8d6ad.jpg

Lower section complete.

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Lower4_zpsdc43ecc6.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Lower5_zps8b7ae62f.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Lower7_zpsc8f37de6.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Lower8_zpscda2c830.jpg

I was a bit heavy handed with the matt varnish spray, but it actually made the metal and gold areas a little more dull and gritty, which I think works better with the weathering. Next up is the base - more to follow.

[marine7312000]

Is that freehand on the back of the banner?!?

[Angelus Mortifer]

Is that freehand on the back of the banner?!?

I wish . Sadly no.

The "IX" script at the top comes with the larger Knight transfer kit (which works perfectly for the 9th Legion). The script in the middle is from the SoB Immolator kit, and the BA icon is from FW's Blood Angels and Successors transfer kit.

I could have tried some freehand, but this beast is already taking a long time to put together.

[Midnightmare]

Really coming along now, great work (esp the weathering).

 

And I am going to ask for more anyway; moar!! Give uz moar!! :D

[Angelus Mortifer]

And I am going to ask for more anyway; moar!! Give uz moar!!

You really want to be "that guy"...?!!!

You might be lucky and have a pic of the dry fit for the base soon. Cracking on with that next so I can get the lower section all glued on, then I'll just build the torso and weapons afterwards.

[marine7312000]

If that had been freehand I would have given up....

[Ushtarador]

Very very nice weathering, you really captured the look of the millenia old godmachine that spends more time fighting than sitting in the hangar :) very much looking forward to seeing the rest!

[Angelus Mortifer]

Very very nice weathering, you really captured the look of the millenia old godmachine that spends more time fighting than sitting in the hangar very much looking forward to seeing the rest!

Thanks Ush, much appreciated.

Audience participation time, and a confessional.

Confessional first -

The cool thing about the modelling side of this hobby is looking at all the brilliant ideas that other people come up with, and of course blatantly blagging them for yourself. I was hoping to do something "similar but different" for the base but as a mate of mine mentioned to me a fair while ago, it's not until you actually put the Knight on the base that you realise how much room you don't have to play with! So, I'm blatantly having to go back to the design I originally saw that set me on this Knightly path. Don't know who the bloke was who originally did it, but I thank him for his genius and apologise for the thievery http://www.arvardardboyz.com/SMF/Smileys/default/grin.gif

Audience participation -

Is the base too much? Should it have more or be positioned differently as I don't want to stupidly block the actual Knight. I tried turning the wall section with the inner walls facing inward, but this pushes the Knight off centre and has it hanging over the left edge of the base.

Is the "token" marine worth it (he'll be different from this sample, most likely hunkered against the wall more and reloading his bolter - with the Knight standing protectively over him whilst at his most vulnerable) - wanted to tie the overall theme in by having at least one Angel on the base.

Paint-wise, thinking of doing the same muted red from the knee-pad on the walls, with a dirty black trim and supports. I might not go up to the main highlight for the red like on the knee armour, so as not to make it stand out too much from the main piece, or should I tone it down a bit more/keep it simpler/do a different colour?

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Base4_zpsf184c51e.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Base5_zps79b659a5.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Base6_zps62550e8b.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Base7_zps2254ea9b.jpg

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/SebJones_photos/Imperial%20Knights/Base8_zpsea662c00.jpg

Since taking these pics, I actually chopped off the top of the corner section of the wall so you can see more of the Knight, but it still ensures the Marine has adequate cover.

Suggestions gladly welcome.