The Albigensian Crusade

[NovemberIX]

While there is much that can be said about the Storm Eagle build from the warp *coughcough* (such as how you got all those convoluted curves to actually stay straightened out was a task of Herculean proportions) I really gotta say I'm loving the G-men they've got some character. I especially love the champion type guy, he's got a real sense of momentum. The standard bearer is the one I'm excited to see painted though, I have a feeling that guy is gonna be iconic.

[Acebaur]

Honda, I do not envy you brother. I've been there and done that with the Storm Eagle.  Though I did use super glue on mine, specifically a kind that is more of a gel than something like zap a gap.  However, I'm so anal that I have to paint the insides of the tanks and stuff so I forced myself to paint the Eagle's interior despite my nearly overwhelming urge to just glue the damn thing together :lol:

 

For the Fuselage pieces I used a hair dryer and actually got them to fit with the plastic bitz damn near perfectly. 

[Honda]

For the Fuselage pieces I used a hair dryer and actually got them to fit with the plastic bitz damn near perfectly.

 

 

Just curious, because I like as many tools in my toolbox as I can get, but did you strap everything down with _______ (e.g. rubber bands), then heat the resin, then glue it?

 

So I'm curious how you did what you did. :)

[Brother Christopher]

I've read some opinions that Storm Eagles are a mess to build. I like your attitude, Honda. You assemble the kit with a clear goal in mind and you don't get bogged down with insignificant detail. I wish you perseverance with this one - the final product is worth all the effort (but, cynically, I'll just remark that it's not worth the money - FW should really do a better job with such an expensive kit).

[Acebaur]

No, I dry fit like a crazy man. So I first eyeballed straightening the resin sides using a hair dryer. That got them pretty close and then I kept dtyfitting and heating until I got it perfect. I could have just strapped them all together and probably done it that way, which I did towards the end(the rear door wasn't matching up correctly).  The problem with that method is you have to be really careful about heating near the rubber banded areas because the bands will pull the resin inward and can result in pinching the fuselage at that point. 

 

Another thing I did was not glue everything at once. I did the sides to the bottom first, using the top plastic piece to make sure they weren't crooked. Then I did the top pieces one at a time after that starting with the raven's plastic fore piece. Here's mine when it was drying from a glue session.

Hidden Content

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k48/Acebaur/40K/20140504_233313_zpsuqfhror5.jpg

 

Speaking of the rear door, don't waste your time trying to make that thing stay in place. You have two choices, either glue the damn thing place or you'll have to magnetize it like I did.  The design is just so terrible for a moving part, I can't imagine who thought it was a good idea   Here's the link to my thread on how I magnetized it in case you wanted to go that route http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/288402-the-jericho-crusade-new-brothers-join-the-crusade/?p=3662324

[Honda]

So...here we go with Part II

When we last left our intrepid modeler, he was locked in a titanic struggle with three adversaries, Resin, Putty, and Rubber Bands. This along with a misdirection ploy tossed in at the last minute caused our hero to dig deep within himself to rescue the fair flyer from the depths of modeling hell.

Meanwhile, back at the hobby desk...

To recap the previous post, I had put together the fuselage and everything looked hunky dory. So I started attaching the engines because that seemed like the logical next step. It is, but that's not what you would infer by looking at the directions. I think if the entire kit was plastic, I could have just followed the basic instructions, but given the different materials involved, I think my construction process makes more sense.

So, I added the engines....and did that wrong.

Every which way I tried to add the wings just had them pointing off at goofy angles, so as painful as it was, I pulled off the engines and then spent some time researching how they were supposed to go on and re-attached them.

Not my finest hour.

From there, it was a fairly straightforward process to get the wings and rear fins on there. Also, originally, I was going to just put the missile pods on there, but I realized that would make painting much more difficult, so I lined them up, drilled holes in both parts and put a pin in the missile launcher so that when Mo finishes painting, it should be a fairly easy exercise to glue them on. I did the same thing with the lascannons that go into the underwing missile pods.

And so I thought I was in pretty good shape...and I was except for the gaps in all the joins...and I just couldn't turn it over looking like that, so I got out my whitestuff and my liquid green stuff and started filling away.

I've grown more fond of the LGStuff simply because you can trowel some onto a seam, then wet a Q-tip with water and then draw the tip along the seam and it produces a pretty smooth join.

So I did that. Everywhere you see green, that's where I used that technique.

Now I'm done with this puppy and it will be delivered into Mo's hands this week so he can get it ready for painting. He's in the current "Tale of 18 Gamers" and just might want to add this to his stuff.

Next up, I start on Reclusiarch Grimaldus, the "G Man".

Cheers,

[NovemberIX]

She really is one of the most beautiful things I've seen, and I do mean that from the bottom of my heart. Getting all the updates on the build has always left me extemely excited and increadibly grateful. Though to be fair, you'll hear more about gratitude when next I see you!

 

The November Warriors will be recognizing the assistance of the Templars in this difficult and, at times I'm sure, trying project.

 

I personally will be glad too see your continuation of the big G and his buddies!

[Marshal Mattias]

I personally will be glad too see your continuation of the big G and his buddies!

^This. I love what you've done so far and I can't wait to see where you go with the Grim one...

[Marshal Reinhard]

Such a tease. No full model shot of the bird.

 

There can never be enough Grimaldus.

[Honda]

So, what is this about?

 

Well, I am going to kit bash/scratch build a Grimaldus for my crusade. I'll be using parts where convenient, but in looking at various models for inspiration, I'm haven't settled on anything yet.

 

So this is where you get to help.

 

What are your favorite poses whether 40K or not. It should be something that is possible in PA, but go ahead and give it your best shot. Feel free to post the pictures here.

 

Cheers,

[Marshal_Roujakis]

Standing on top of a rampart with one foot upon the steps of the wall, wind blowing his tabard and the purity seals almost to ripping point as if facing a massive storm, War Maul pointed down to the rabble that they must waste ammunition on, face glaring down upon they unholiest of foes and Zeal... zeal that is almost palpable just upon the sight of such a magnificent miniature...

 

To sum it up: Grimaldus up on the ramparts of the walls Helsreach giving his first ever speech upon the defense of the hive.

[The_Chaplain]

Like Roujakis said above, a commanding speech pose from ramparts might be very fitting for Grimaldus.

 

Alternatively, maybe a power swing-- hand and a half grip on the crozius arcanum; looking like he's just knocked a heathen out of the way like a homerun baseball?

 

Something like this:

 

Could go the extra mile and magnetize the dead body and have a corresponding corpse for every enemy army, haha. 

[Kisada]

Not a fan of that baseball pose but love the idea of magnetizing dead opponents lol

[Honda]

I will die on this world.

I cannot tell where this conviction comes from. Whatever birthed it is a mystery to me, and yet the thought

clings like a virus, blooming behind my eyes, and taking deep root within my mind. It almost feels real enough

to spread corruption to the rest of my body, like a true sickness.

It will happen soon, within the coming nights of blood and fire. I will draw my last breath, and when my brothers

return to the stars, my ashes will be scattered over the priceless earth of this accursed world.

Armageddon.

Source: Pg. 1, "Helsreach", A. Dembski-Bowden

+++

It is time that I undertake a project whose vision I have carried in my mind since the first time that I read "Helsreach".

Grimaldus.

I also want to honor what he means to our chapter and to create something that will inspire my army and cause fear in my opponents. Earlier I asked for help with a pose and I thank you the offered help. As much as I wanted to make a model to convey how inspiring the character of Grimaldus is, in the end, I wanted a pose that had more energy, because that is what I remember about him the most, how he led, from the front.

So I ended up picking a pose that shows him charging forward, shooting, yet ready to swing his crozius.

That is how I think of him.

First the base he will be on

This is a 32 mm base, I figure he should be one something larger than the other 25 mm bases I have for most of my other troops. Also this will cause him to stand out from other characters in PA.

You will note that there are two bases in the picture. I have two projects going on at the same time. One will recognize a chapter during one of it's most important campaigns, bringing glory and honoring its father.

The other will expose another chapter's shame, that the rest of us will come to understand how low they have sunk and to bring their secrets to light.

The bases are made from air dried clay. The base on the left was lightly dappled with a toothbrush to provide a light stone texture to the surface, while the base on the right used my "crinkled ball of aluminum foil" technique, pressing the foil ball into the clay to provide an exposed rock texture.

Next up are Grimaldus' legs. I wanted him to be a tad taller than a regular PA trooper, so I inserted spacers at two places to extend his legs. I will also elevate his torso just a tad when I attach it to the legs so that he is just slightly larger than a regular initiate.

I've not used this technique before, but having been thinking about it for awhile. To summarize the steps, cut the leg where you want the inserts to go, cut some plasticard squares and glue to one cut and let dry.

After the spacers are solidly on the cut, take your clippers and trim away the excess, leaving just a tad around the edge. Then glue the other part of the legs together.

Not too difficult and a lot of the really tough areas will be covered by his tabard.

From there I selected a plasma pistol that looks like the version on the cover of the book. Also, I used a flat Chaos skull helm. As soon as I read Grimaldus description, that is how I envisioned him. Some might not agree with this choice, but it is how I see him.

One big piece of work I need to settle is the crozius. I would love to just pull a plastic arm from somewhere and apply it, but have resigned myself to the fact that I will need to gs his crozius. I'm sure that will be an interesting exercise.

Once I get all that together, then I can start applying the various gs purity seals and whatnots to round him out.

+++

And now I get to brag. I have awesome friends. As some of you know, I put together one of my good friend's Storm Raven. I was able to hand it over to him today so he can start painting.

Quite by surprise, he presented me with this:

It's a dice case. So I put my Templar dice in it and I think it looks just freaking amazing.

Mo, you are one in a million.

Cheers,

[deathspectersgt7]

Looking forward to your Grimaldus. I want to do him to go along with my Ekene Dubaku I plan on adding to my Celestial Lions.

[Marshal_Roujakis]

"The first charge of the Black Knights."

 

GLORIOUS!!!

[Marshal Mattias]

I love a good action pose! I think the one thing everyone would agree on is that the crozius is iconic and simply has to be done justice. This idea of a 'young' Grimaldus is really cool, and I like that you're making him larger-than-life; it conveys the way he inspires others around him in a subtle way ;)

 

EDIT:

Also, what does a guy have to do to get an awesome case like that, besides build a fireraptor (which is SO not happening right now).

[Honda]

I am strong, born only to slay for the Emperor and the Imperium. I am pure, wearing the blackest of the black, trained to serve as a spiritual guide as well as a warleader. I am wrath incarnate, living only to kill until finally killed.

I am a weapon in the Eternal Crusade to forge humanity's mastership of the stars.

Source: Pg. 2, "Helsreach", A. Dembski-Bowden

+++

Decent progress was made this week. There's lots of stuff going on in Real Life , all good, but when push comes to shove, toy soldiers do not beat out family or obligations.

Grimaldus would expect nothing less.

Here's the command squad, primered finally, though I should cut myself some slack as I was waiting for the humidity levels to drop (they did), which helps tremendously with the first, sometimes most important coat of paint.

It's not completely obvious from these shots, but I added some chain to Priamus sword, attaching it to his wrist and Nerovar received a sheathed pistol and gladius, slightly modified from the DA sprue. The gladius plays an important part in his story.

The last pic is the WIP of Grimaldus banner, carried by Artarion.

Next up, is Grimaldus himself. I've been enjoying the fact that I have some fresh GS, as it is sooooo much easier to mix and sculpt with. I had no idea how extra effort I was going through with my previous batch. It was several years old, had been frozen by the previous owner and used by me off and on.

Anyway, fresh is the best.

I'm fairly happy with how the robes turned out, though half way through his torso came off while I was sculpting the front of the tabard, which required some quick action to re-attach it, whilst continuing to work the GS. Think of juggling six balls.

I did discover that I had thought I had cleaned up the plasma pistol and drilled it out, but in fact did not, so I have to do that.

Now I come to the helmet dilemma.

Here's the Chaos skull helmet which is what I have envisioned for him all along. ADB goes to great length, multiple times to tell us of his silver skull faced helmet. So this seems to fit perfectly...

...until you look at the cover of the book which features a Mk V helmet.

It too looks pretty good, but it doesn't strike me as looking like a skull. So, I'm pretty sure I'll go with the first helmet, but I go back and forth on it depending on the day.

What do you guys think?

Next, is some early work on Project X

I think that's it for now.

Cheers,

Project X

[Kisada]

ooooo .... project X eh?  Skull helmet gets my vote

[NovemberIX]

This may sound fiddly but what about using the skull head and adding in a couple of MKV style studs and gs in a vent? It would help break up the chaos look while giving him a one off helmet.

[Honda]

This may sound fiddly but what about using the skull head and adding in a couple of MKV style studs and gs in a vent? It would help break up the chaos look while giving him a one off helmet.

 

 

<facepalms>

 

Actually, that's an excellent idea, so obvious it passed right under my nose*.

 

 

* Note: I am Greek, so I sometimes miss a lot because...well it's a big Greek nose. :)

[NovemberIX]

I'm glad to have been of service :)

[Marshal Mattias]

Sounds like the perfect solution - I've looked at those pictures several times trying to formulate a coherent reason for which one I prefer, and come up short every time. The obvious conclusion is of course to do both! ;)

[Marshal Reinhard]

I would go for the skull variant. The existing miniature and artwork (which is based on said miniature anyway) be damned, Helsreach makes a bloody point of telling us that Grimaldus has skull faced helmet. When I eventually convert my own Grimaldus, a skull faced helmet he will get.

[Acebaur]

Skull helmet all the way. Remember that ADB did not do the art for the book and probably did not even see it until the book was released.