The Neurode Crusade - Updates and Fixes to HQs and Elites

[SCOTT_FRANCIS]

I have not tried this on GW stuff myself, but as a kid I found the humbrol or airfix paints worked on clear plastic. You could try that sort of modelling paint. 

Edited July 14, 2014 by SCOTT_FRANCIS

[Brother Christopher]

I'll maybe try to get something like that tomorrow. I'm on an extremely tight schedule here with those talons. Some life issues will most likely make any contribution to the hobby and forum impossible by Thursday, so I want to work hard to have the vow done. The plan is to paint the cockpit and pilots the best I can, then the rest to a reasonable tabletop quality to be able to declare the vow complete and to have some room for potential improvement to the models in the future, when I'll have more time. That's why I spent the last hour or so on these guys. I'm extremely satisfied with the result: it's pretty quick, by my standards, and pretty effective. The worst part, and the most time-consuming one, were the crosses. I don't know why, but painting "techmarines" comes easy. If these pilots were to be black, I'd still be stuck with highlighting. But somehow red highlights are easier to make and look... better. It's late, sorry for all the nonsense. Time to go to bed to proceed with the cockpit.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080259_zps4275a5d7.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080260_zps5aee7de4.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080261_zpsa47f2ee2.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080262_zpse326a73b.jpg

[Firepower]

He's....hairy. 

[Golf33]

I just started work on my 3rd vow, two stormtalons. I have one concern, though. Is there any 'method' of painting the canopy's frames? I mean, I don't see a way to undercoat it (covering the glass with tape appears to be out of the question) and painting it black without anything beneath seems to be a tiring and counter-productive. It requires a number of coats of paint, because it 'slides' and 'pools' on the slippery surface. So, how to handle with the transparent plastic?

Why is covering the glass with tape not an option? It's what I would try - cover with Tamiya masking tape, burnish with a metal sculpting tool and trim with a new X-acto blade, then spray primer and paint the frame as desired.

 

Here's an example from someone else, using Scotch Magic tape instead of Tamiya tape: http://rednekkzmekshop.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/from-workbench-budgiean-eye-and-magpie.html?m=1

 

Here are some Google results for tutorials on masking:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=how+to+mask+a+canopy&oq=howtomask+a+canopy

Edited July 14, 2014 by Golf33

[Honda]

I loved the Polish national badge on his shoulder pad. +5 coolness.

 

Like Golf, I do think you can mask with tape. Remember, when you tape,  it doesn't matter what it  looks like as long as you have everything covered. So start with the hard edges (where the paint has  to stop) and then work your way in till the area is covered.

 

Yes your time is tight, but you can do. Press on!

[Brother Christopher]

Calamity after calamity, that's how my week goes. I didn't have Internet access for 2 days and that's bad for my work. Also, I couldn't post updates, and there's a bunch of photos I wanted to share. Moreover, as I type this post, I have 4 more hours before I leave and I'm unable to finish the Talons as much as I'd like. However, I feel that as they are now, they pass for "tabletop quality," and, therefore, I declare my 3rd vow finished. I feel that's not completely honourable, but this is war!

 

Interior:

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080263_zps64c2aa24.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080266_zps23f6d0bb.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080267_zps19839f12.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080265_zpsad5fca0c.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080269_zps2aed6c92.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080270_zps2e39d444.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080272_zpsef09304e.jpg

 

Engines:

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080273_zps4cf3681b.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080275_zps006f5239.jpg

 

Weapons:

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080276_zps438124c1.jpg''

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080277_zpsb1b2b740.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080279_zps9270269a.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080280_zpsfe20484c.jpg

 

And "finished" Talons. I quite like these models now. They do grow on you, I guess. Because as I first saw them in GW's pictures, I thought they're terrible. But in life, they look way better. And after having assembled them myself, I quite love them.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080385_zpse7034859.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/ETL/P1080386_zps52aae07f.jpg

[Honda]

They look pretty darn complete to me. I'd have no trouble sleeping at night with those.

 

Well done.

[Brother Christopher]

Thanks! But I didn't do the highlights yet. And there's some metallic mess in places that I want to cover up. But I'll have to wait a month for that. I'll post more pictures back then!

 

So, my overall contribution to the BT cause in this year's ETL is a round 1400 points. Not much, but that's way more than I've painted this year. It was a pleasure. I just wish I were a faster painter and that I could've painted more for us, Black Templars (say, like Arizona).

 

For the Emperor!

[Brother Christopher]

I opened this thread with scratchbuilding, and now I'm coming back to it! After much thinking I adjusted some ideas regarding my army's growth. And the biggest one is that I'm forsaking my scratch build Stormraven project. For a long time I regretted even commencing that build. I had my reasons back then to build the Raven, but things have changed. And time has passed. And I was stuck with a 3/4 finished model for about half a year. The main reasons of my apathy towards the project were that the model turned out larger that GW's kit and that GW's Raven became a financially accessible kit.

 

While I can get GW's models, I can't do that with awesome Forge World ones. One model, Storm Eagle, Spartan etc., is an equivalent of a month of having a plentiful of food and drinks. So why not transfer the enormous effort put in the Raven (60 hours of worktime) into a building a model which I won't be able to afford in the foreseeable future but which is amazing? I decided to finish my Raven as an Eagle.

 

But, as it often is in my case, things got complicated. I came across the Fire Raptor gunship, whose rules and price are just amazing. Awe inspiring. Incarnation of the phrase death from above, that's the Raptor. First I wanted to build both, then (to save time) the Eagle, then the Raptor. I wanted you guys to talk me into doing the Eagle (which I find a cooler model), but no. 2 in 1 it is!

 

This brings me to today. The idea which I'm implementing now can be summarized in the following points:

 

- make a 2in1 kit

- build the hull/fuselage alike to the Storm Eagle; this allows me to retain some part of my work done on the Raven

- make magnetized sides attachable to the Eagle's core

- ignore the fact that the Raptor has a lower hull/fuselage and a different front/nose compartnent

- magnetize the front of the flyer: make an exchangeable ramp and gun (in the original model, the cannons stick out in the bottom and back of the lower, front part; in my version, the gun will be housed in the transport area of the Storm Eagle)

- magnetize wings for easier transport

- magnetize weapons: nose-mounted guns on the Eagle and the optics/sensors on the Raptor; wing mounted lascannons/rockets; rocket pods on the Eagle

- retain a more 'bricky' appearance of the Raven (not to discard all my previous work) and some other features (like the air vents on top of the model)

 

With this, I started work. And it was a hard time. I had to strip my Raven apart, abandon some hours of work... This didn't come easily.

 

At first, I got from here:

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1060140_zps9da0a075.jpg

 

To here:

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080410_zpsd7511474.jpg

 

Cutting out the round bits in a 3D object was tricky, to say the least. But I managed with cutting the rough lines like a maniac and using a small saw.

 

For the Raptor's ball-mounted guns, I'll be using ping-pong balls. I found one at home to see if it fits. These balls appear to be a bit larger than they should, but I say that it doesn't matter.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080411_zps4da16d28.jpg

 

Then I cut out the extensions of the hull.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080412_zps915fa6ac.jpg

 

And stuck them to the front.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080472_zps37fb27b9.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080473_zps994213b4.jpg

 

Right now, I only hope that I got the shape and size right (especially the balls position). It doesn't look like much (it's a wingless Storm Limo now), but I'm excited about this one. I'd want to see mu ideas work

[Honda]

What thickness of sheet plastic are you using for those extensions?

 

I'm not convinced on the ping pong balls as turrets yet. I think with your skills, you could manufacture something closer to what FW has, or change it and make it more angular vs. rounded.

 

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this. :)

[Brother Christopher]

Progress on the Eagle/Raptor project. There's some stuf going on, about which I'm pretty excited. I must admit, that the way I assemble the model now is messy. I want to progress quickly and get to the tough parts (the exchangeable sides) so many gaps are here and there, but I plan to fill them with putty at a certain stage of the project.

 

First, I adjusted the front side panels, I scavenged from the Raven. I made the top and bottom panels sloping in an attempt to reproduce the parts on FS's flyers.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080663_zps54551d4a.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080664_zpsc255ce42.jpg

 

Due to lighting which didn't comply with my vision of the image, it doesn't show well. But here's how the panels look on the model.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080665_zps8e4ade16.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080666_zps97860e61.jpg

 

The next step was to prepare the rest of the front and central part of the flyer's hull for the exchangeable panels. To this purpose, I covered the old door slots with plating. There's also a socket for the magnet which will (hopefully) hold the panels.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080699_zps99160d72.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080700_zpse3acaa51.jpg

 

And an image of the bottom part, showing the slanting edges of the side armour.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080701_zps730ab030.jpg

 

This is a part I'm not proud of. But I changed my mind after my first idea was already in place, so I just added a number of layers of plastic strips to make the top edges even and perpendicular to the sides. I figured that, ultimately, it will hold the exchangeable panels better than a small sloping "roof" that I initially made.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080709_zps1a1eae52.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080702_zpsfc4eac96.jpg

 

And the doors are now covered with armour. I was weirdly satisfied after attaching those panels.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080710_zps9a0264c9.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080711_zpsfd591b9f.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080712_zps02e1d16b.jpg

 

And some more armour! Firstly, there's never enough armour. And secondly, that's how FW models are made, I suppose.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080713_zps36636e1d.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080714_zps93350d77.jpg

 

Since I took those photos, I noticed that I forgot to cut out the square bits in front of the topmost armour panels. I stripped these panels, cut my fingers doing so, and got the parts right.

 

I'm pretty excited about the progress. "Designing" or ""reproducing" the original kit on the base of the papercraft Raven is a lot of fun!

[HLVW]

I am truly envious of your scratch building ability brother, awesome job. I know this is a little late but having read the early comments, buypainted has a good tutorial on youtube for using Tamiya and humbrol clear paints for cockpit glass. Also if you don't want to use tape for masking while painting I have found that good ol' silly putty works awesome, I have used it a bunch already when I airbrushed my Spartan and Sicaran, It leaves no marks and doesn't let the paint bleed.

 

Again your Fire raptor is looking awesome, looking forward to seeing more of this.

[Brother Christopher]

There's progress on the Raptor/Eagle project. Not much of it, though.

 

I started doing the side turrets. Initially, I wanted to use ping pong balls. But then (and after meditating a bit over images of Raptors) I came to a realisation that isn't the way to go. But, there's some ping pong left in the model

 

I cut the balls to get the spherical sides of the turrets. Then, I made a ring of plasticard. Ruined the whole thing with my dreadful skills with miliput. And after the putty dried, I added an additional stripe of plasticard.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080827_zps0da287cd.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080828_zps0cfa66e9.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080829_zps248cb5c9.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080830_zpsf50223ef.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080835_zpsff97f00f.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080838_zpsf2e127b1.jpg

 

I also changed the plan for the moment of the turrets. I wanted to cut the ball into 3 parts, join the two "ends" fr the side movement and run an axis through the middle section. Now I want to do something similar to what the original Raptor has (at least I think the turrets are done that way). Well, we'll see how that'll turn out.

 

Now, a quick question to you (the answer will be in the next line). What are those?

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080831_zps6933f4f9.jpg

 

These are the front parts of heavy bolters for the turrets. I couldn't find 8 bolters in a bits shop anywhere in Poland, so I decided to make my own. How hard can it be, right?

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080832_zps3bf56109.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080833_zps2bd84714.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080834_zps0a472eba.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080836_zpsdbe2345b.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Storm%20Eagle%20and%20Fire%20Raptor/P1080837_zpsd03e8212.jpg

 

I hope these things will work fine as bolters. There's some green stuffing and filing to do, but I'll wait with that until the rest of the guns is assembled.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Brother Cristopher

[Nemac Vradon]

I can't wait to see how this looks when its finished, that Stormraven looked pretty epic so I'm sure the Fire Raptor will look immense :)

 

Nemac

[Brother Christopher]

I mentioned in our ETL thread that I grieve for not being able to contribute more to our cause. A life paradox: ETL's finished and now I have time to paint. Therefore, I dedicate these three dreadnoughts, originally intended for the competition, to the Emperor! They cannot be left unpainted!

 

All metallic parts are done. The arms and weapons are done too, but I have no means to attach them to the two dreads. Next part... blacks. I'm always hating that part. Clean up the mess from the previous stage and... paint black on top of a black primer. Grrr...

 

First off with my Ironclad conversion.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090138_zps9be5e257.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090139_zps8b1c9776.jpg

 

Regular Ironclad.

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090142_zps5eab07ea.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090143_zpsd5c25e10.jpg

 

I couldn't make up my mind with regards to the assault launchers. I love how they look, but the amour beneath them is even better. So I decided to take both! I guess it looks all right.

 

And my RELIC CONTEMPTOR! I was so excited to get this one. Sure, it sucks that he's assembled already. Sure, the weapons (DCCW+Storm Bolter and tL Heavy Bolter) aren't the best choice gamewise. But I got him for a fourth of the price of a new one. And the Bolters, useless as they are, look super sexy. And the Relic guy... Oh...

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090140_zpsfa669fa9.jpg

 

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k260/krj_38/Neurode%20Crusade/P1090141_zpsa9575486.jpg

[Marshal Reinhard]

Always love to see more contemptors getting the templar treatment (and standard dreads too).

 

While TL HB are probably the least exciting choice possible, ruleswise, they still look damn fine. Will await this with excitment

[Brother Christopher]

In my situation getting new FW stuff is absolutely out of the question. So I have to rely on domestic on-line auctions and second hand models. But I'm lucky to own two Conemptors with a nice selections of weapons. I have two sets of Assault Cannons and Auto Cannons, and now the HB and DCCW. I wanted to magnetize everything, but the "arm" joint on the Relic Contemptor is apparently cemented to the "shoulder" and I can't remove it from fear of damaging the model.

 

But... if things were different and FW stuff were more easily and cheaply accessible in Poland, oh boy...

 

I love most of their models. At first I wasn't convinced about them but now I think Contemtpros are one of the most awesome kits, right after Spartan Tanks and Typhons and by an inch before Storm Eagles and Sicarans. These vehicles are the objects of my nerd-dreams :D

 

So I'm that more happy to have two Contemptors, including the Relic version. It's just a pity I couldn't get the Heavy Conversion Beamer.

[greggles]

The only thing that has prevented me from buying a contemptor dread...is the holdout that maybe...just maybe...there will be a templar one....

[Marshal Reinhard]

The only thing that has prevented me from buying a contemptor dread...is the holdout that maybe...just maybe...there will be a templar one....

I know that feeling all too well. I actually tried the same. And I failed five times.

[Brother Christopher]

 

The only thing that has prevented me from buying a contemptor dread...is the holdout that maybe...just maybe...there will be a templar one....

I know that feeling all too well. I actually tried the same. And I failed five times.

 

 

Luckily, that's not my concern. I even considered getting an Emperor's Children Contemptor, as it was cheaper than this Relic I got. After short visual scrutiny and with an addition of fluff ignorance, I figured that it doesn't have any blasphemous ornaments on it. And it had a plasma cannon. But, in the end I gave the additional couple of zlotys and got the one I'm painting now.

 

That said, a Black Templars Contemptor from FW designers SHOULD be amazing. If only GW consistently produced good models like FW (<cough> Stormfang, <cough>).

[SnorriSnorrison]

Some great conversions here, brother. I really enjoy watching the progress on your eagle/raptor, so keep it up! Also, your Ven Dread looks very well.

 

 

Snorri

[Brother Christopher]

And now, for something completely different. Before I'll do any painting for the Crusade Expansion, I needed to do this.

 

I got this idea, and here's me sharing the result of the idea. It's far from perfect, but I really wanted to give this a try. Now I know that it's doable, just requires a bit more effort. It took me about 20-25 minutes to take the pictures, process them and make the gif. A wasted time well spent It satified my nerd-hammer needs and the photo amateur in me. It turns out that the rotating base isn't as stable as I thought. And some images aren't as sharp as they appeared to be. But that was just the first time. Next time, I'll make it better.

 

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/8-20-2014/nB493o.gif

[Acebaur]

That's a really cool concept! You'll have to give a tutorial for the rest of us! 

[Arbiter7]

That's just brilliant ! 

 

 

Edit: the freehand on the cloak is also awesome! 

Edited August 20, 2014 by Arbiter7

[Firepower]

Show off :P