Black Like My Soul

[Sception]

Alright painting update.  Here's everything that's finished so far:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Warband02_zps3ee2a812.jpg

(click here for higher res version)

 

Thats the Crimson Eye warband of the Black Legion as they currently stand - one chaos lord (as of yet unnamed) and 11 chaos space marines, including two champions, an icon bearer, and four special weapon troopers, but missing the magnetized special weapons, icons, and weapon arms for the champions, which will be painted later.

 

 

I haven't gotten any more models painted in the last few days, because I've been distracted by a new conversion project, inspired by the new Black Legion supplement, and my own acquisition of the chaos portion of another Dark Vengeance box:

 

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Chosen01_zpsc48df420.jpg

 

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Chosen02_zps0a084cf2.jpg

 

Yes, I'm converting up a unit of chosen, this is the progress so far on the first six out of ten planned.  The figures in the first image have been converted to reduce the chorus line effect - two have alternate heads, one has a slightly converted shoulder pad while another has another chosen's shoulder pad entirely, the least converted has another chosen's pack.  They've also all had their bolters removed, and are in the process of being converted such that they can be given regular bolters or special weapons.

 

In the second image, the central model has had its power fist replaced with a chain sword from the new raptors box, his bolter on strap was replaced with a pistol holster on his hip, and his pistol was replaced with a magnet to hold a bolter or special weapon.  The right model had its right arm removed and magnetized, while the left model has had both arms removed, with a magnetized right shoulder and a left pistol arm from the raptors box.  Unfortunately, the raptor shoulder pad does not really match the distinctive look of the chosen pads, but as I convert alternate close combat weapon arms that's just going to be unavoidable, so i'll have to deal with it.  If a new chosen box is ever released, I might pry off the inferior substitute pads from this first box and replace them with new chosen pads, but for the moment that's a distant pipe dream.

 

Plan is to eventually complete 11 of these.  Five with magnetized bolter/special weapon, four with a magnetized swapable melee weapon arm with power sword, power axe, chain sword, and lightning claw options, one champion with two magnetized shoulders for assorted arm options, and an odd man out with a lascannon, no magnets.  If these paint up well, I may order additional DV chosen second hand and do another 11 the same way later on, but if I do that will be much later, because these are a lot of work, and are already delaying my painting progress.  Hopefully by the time I'm even considering that, there will be an actual multipart chosen box that I can just buy instead.

[40kChrista]

Go go Chaos Chosen! (to Power Rangers theme... your welcome B&C )

Nice to see the conversions! For the others, I wasn't sure abut the purple accents but it looks good, can't wait to see how you get those Chosen painted up. Nice simple conversions as well!

[Sception]

Thanks!  The new, more subdued slaaneshi purples (daemonette hide, slaaneshi grey) look miles better than the more saturated purples I used to use.  When adding accent colors to a mostly black paint scheme, a little goes a long way.  Back in the day, I used to worry that a black armor scheme would be drab and boring to look at, so I added all sorts of extra colors - bright blue power weapons, vibrant green plasma coils, red eyes, purple cables, and so on, and the result was a garish mess (see some of my older models on the front page of the thread).  My current scheme is a lot more reserved, and the models look much better for it.

 

As for the chosen, the conversion process is super effortful, I doubt I'll end up doing another unit after all.  Or at least, not another big unit all magnetized like this.  I might do a couple 'five chosen with a lascannon' squads at some point, though.

[Urauloth]

Those chosen look like a labour of love. I'd like to try a couple of kitbashes on mine, but I haven't worked up the nerve to take a knife to them yet. ;)

 

Looking forward to seeing them painted. Are you going to use raptor special weapons for the bolter-swap trio?

[Sception]

I've got one raptor kit, and I'll probably grab a second, and yeah, the chosen have first dibs on their special weapons.  Apart from that, I've got 10 FW 30k plasmaguns on the way, though they'll need some greenstuff work to fit the chaos look.

 

I've also got a couple of the current CSM kit chaosed-up special weapons, and am considering ordering some more from an online bits shop.  I'll need some extra terminator arms and shoulder pads when I get back to working on them, as well.

[40kChrista]

Those chosen look like a labour of love. I'd like to try a couple of kitbashes on mine, but I haven't worked up the nerve to take a knife to them yet.

Looking forward to seeing them painted. Are you going to use raptor special weapons for the bolter-swap trio?

Yeah, hacking them up can be a little unnerving... and down right heartbreaking when it doesn't work. I completely understand the hesitation.

[Scribe]

Those drakes are most excellent. I went mostly the same way for my 2nd one. Zombie Head, Wings, Neck = Tail, and some other assorted parts.

[Rayray]

Good grief mal, could you hurry up and put some paint on those chosen? I am jonesing to see them painted up like the other unit, which is amazing

[Sception]

Well, I have to finish painting the first batch of CSMs first, which are currently sitting at 17 out of 22 (no, there's no reason for that particular batch size). After that, I have to paint their accessories, including several spare bolters, plasmaguns, meltaguns, flamers, and assorted champion arms. Once that's done, I'll need a break from infantry, so I'll probably do up a couple rhinos or something, not sure yet.

 

Only then will I be ready to tackle painting the chosen, which should hopefully be fully converted by then. With the second box's set, I'm going to try to liberate a couple shoulder pads and see if I cant make greenstuff copies with instant mold to fit onto some alternate weapon arm options, as well as to replace the raptor pad I used above. Chosen pads are too distinctively shaped, other pads just don't look right, even raptor pads with their similar levels of detail.

[Sception]

FW bits came in. Classes have started, though, so hobby time will be more limited.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/FWbits01_zps73408e54.jpg

[Urauloth]

Autocannons? Nice. Can't say as I like the heresy-era plasma guns much, but then again I haven't seen one on a mini yet, so I should probably reserve judgement. Also, can't fault anyone for buying plasmas 10 at a time like that, so...

[Sception]

Exactly. Basic CSM and especially Raptor plasmaguns may be superior, but I can't buy those on their own in batches of 10.

 

Anyway, I've got a number of modeling projects that are actively in progress - including autohavocs, terminators, chosen, a new daemon prince*, a couple rhinos, assorted magnetized special weapons and champion arms... and other things I'm failing to remember, I'm sure.

 

*I want to do one that I can swap between 'flying' and 'not flying' via magnets, but while the initial wing turned out alright, I might end up either ditching that aspect of the project and just doing a normal, non-flying prince for chart results, or I might try going about it another way - maybe magnetized to two different bases, one normal, one some sort of floating rock or disk? Not sure.

 

I'm in work today, but I've got Sunday off, and Monday for the US holiday. I hope to get as much stuff ready to paint as I can. I'll have some time to hobby between classes a couple days a week, but while painting projects can travel well enough, modeling projects really don't.

[Sception]

Made some modeling progress today. Sorry for the :cussty pictures, I'll go back to taking better ones once I start painting again

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Modeling01_zps4bed3491.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Havocs01_zps39f8003b.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Prince21_zps022717d0.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Prince22_zps1047d7c8.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Rhino02_zps95d1fde2.jpg

[Scribe]

How are those AC sets?

[Sception]

The resin is a pain. Bubbles, miscasts, warping, very much the kind of situation one would expect from gw finecast. A lot of clean up work required. One of the belts was badly miscast - fortunately the set comes with five and I only needed four. If two had been like that, I'd be sending them back for replacements right now.

 

In addition to the clean up work, these autocannons are made to fit heresy marines, so there was some extra work getting them to fit the chaos marines, a bit around the forearms and a lot around the backpacks.

 

Once they're all together they look quite nice, though, so I do recommend them, just expect a fair bit of modeling work, and that you may hve to ask for replacement pieces if your set arrives looking any worse than mine.

 

EDIT: They aren't finecast, I'm just saying expect the same kinds of issues.

[Scribe]

Yeah I received some FW stuff recently, the older kit had a few issues, but for the most part (Doors, Shoulder Pads, the Reavers, plus some MKIII) it was pretty good, but those barrels on the AC's have me freaked out. :p

[Urauloth]

Yeah those barrels scream "hours of straightening work with hot water" and I've been somewhat converned about the backpack issue - how bad is it? I imagine you prettymuch have to flatten out a section on the back of a backpack and start over? They do look nice, though.

[Sception]

Straightening the barrels was easy. Getting the ammo pack to fit the backpack is more work. You have to remove the lower vents, and any detail from that bottom area, then you have to gouge out the ammo pack to deepen the hole and make adjustments until it fits the pack flush. Glue the pack together and fill any gaps with greenstuff. Do not glue the pack to the torso.

 

On the cannons themselves, you need to shave a bit off the bottom of the forward handle bit to make it more U shaped instead of square at the bottom to fit the left bolter hands. The right bolter forearms need to have some of their trim shaved off the bottom. Make sure you use the extended bolter arms, not the bent ones. Glue the arms to the torso first, using plastic glue so you can make adjustments while it sets, then fit the autocannon in and hold everything until it sets properly, then superglue the cannon in, after making any final adjustments, straightening the barrel, etc.

 

Finally, soften the ammo belt with near boiling water, then aligh the bockpack to the torso, fit the belt to the cannon, qnd hord it under some cold water to set. Once that dries, you're good to go.

 

All of that is work I expected. What I didn't expect were the mold errors - sunken flat areas, bubbles, missing detail on the ammo belts, etc.

[Sception]

Things have been busy with work and classes, but I have made a little progress, in particular finished the unit champs and special weapons on the CSM squads.  Here's warband as it stands:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Warband03_zps143c6462.jpg

 

And another picture of Wiegraf, my Lord from before, just because.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/a94b3e2b-8d12-4ecb-b79d-0581edaaebed_zps77af8678-1.jpg

 

 

Sadly, the close ups of the champs and plasma guns didn't turn out.  I also finished a conversion for Fulmarv, my counts as Huron, but those pics also didn't turn out well. I'll try to get some new pics later today.

[Dammeron]

Beautiful work. The Dark Vengeance Lord is particularly striking.

[Sception]

Thank you!

 

Alright, got some new pictures, these ones are at least tolerable.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/csmcmd02_zps6acd4ae4.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/csmcmd03_zpsef64e3c1.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/csmcmd04_zps3ca4d024.jpg

 

The plasmaguns are magnetized, so I can swap them out for flamers or meltaguns should I find reason to in the future, I'd just have to paint the alternate guns.  The champions were supposed to be magnetized, but I used the same magnets as for the special weapons, and they turned out not to be strong enough to hold the whole arms on, especially since models tend to be moved or jostled by their arms.  So these champions' arms are just glued on, as are the havoc champions' arms, when I get that far.  Future champions will get the full magnet treatment, though, as the magnets I bought for my terminator arms work perfectly.

 

 

I've also finished a conversion for Folmarv, my counts-as Huron.  The main body is an old games day archaon on foot.  I had intended to use him as a magnet swappable axe lord on jugger or on foot, but that didn't work out.  Then I meant to use him as a counts-as Khârn (which I still need to make at some point, as Black Legion doesn't have at-init AP2 melee ICs apart from Khârn), but the shield arm just looked wrong, and my attempts to put a plasma pistol in its place weren't cutting it.  But I figured Huron has an axe, and I could replace the whole shield arm with a power claw / flamer thing, and here we go.  The familiar I'm particularly happy with - it was contributed by my casty vampire lord who doesn't see much use anymore and probably won't in the future as long as GW doesn't take away my necromancer lords again.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how this guy turned out (some sub par sculpting on the axe arm aside), so I made him central to the homebrew fluff for my warband.  Hopefully he'll make my troop chosen more worthwhile, once I get around to working on those conversions again.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/huron01_zpsf3587386.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/huron02_zpsbdeac850.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/huron03_zps728661ed.jpg

[Sandviper]

So yeah. Wanna paint my marines too? lol great work man I love the color of the swrods

[Sception]

sure sure, but just be aware, I've been painting the above 20 models and an HQ on and off since... like... August 2012? And I have the following still waiting in line (not in this order):

update Abaddon to new scheme

counts as huron

add'l D/V lord

sorcerer

warpsmith

apostle

bikelord

terminator sorcerer (maybe counts as typhus)

10-12 chosen (magnetized)

update 20 old chaos marines to new scheme

2-5 icons

2 add'l champions (magnetized)

10 terminators (magnetized)

2 rhinos

land raider

autohavocs

update winged prince to new color scheme

flightless prince for boon results

6 bikes

6 spawn

7-10 raptors/warp talons(magnetized)

defiler

40 cultists

10 possessed

3 obliterators

2 helbrutes (magnetized)

fiend (magnetized)

2 heldrakes (1 magnetized)

rhino chassis (pred? vindi? not sure what I'm gonna do with it)

plaguereaper

And that's assuming I don't buy anything in the mean time. So assuming I stay as poor as I am now forever, without ever getting any poorer (or I wouldn't be able to paint!), I should be ready to start on your guys in approximately...

26 years?

EDIT: Oh, but wait, what about my chaos daemons? Let alone my vamp counts? And that traitor guard army I always wanted to start?

Er... it may be a while, is what I'm saying.

[Excessus]

They look nightmarish! Awesome! I am loving the orange as well, makes me nostalgic for 2nd ed... :)

[Sception]

Thanks!

 

I've started working again on the chosen conversions. I would really like to get some of them together, even if the conversion work is derailing the painting progress I had been making. I had at one point been working towards a coherent 1000ish point army list, but that's kind of fallen by the wayside. Instead I'm currently aiming for a coherent core section for a black legion army, ideally a couple rhinos for the two CSM squads I've already painted, plus a magnetized unit of chosen to escort my chaos lord, and a land raider to carry them in. Then maybe some cultists?

 

I'd like to push for around 20 cultists, including two lascannoneers, three magnetized champions, and about 15 magnetized regular squad members, with a variety of special weapon & power weapon options, maybe an icon bearer while I'm at it, so that I could field a variety of configurations, including two larger 8 man squads with a variety of weapons, or one 8 man squad and two msu squads, either with 1x lascannon or 5x special weapons. It's a pretty ambitious plan though. The shoulder pads are coming out tolerable but not great by any stretch, and I'd still need to pick up a couple more sets of DV chosen.

 

Its enough of a project that I'll probably get distracted away from it before I finish all of them, so I'm focusing on just getting eight put together and magnetized for a basic character escort configuration (maybe two meltaguns, two power axes, power sword or lightning claw on the champ?), to ride a land raider with my lord.

 

The land raider itself is coming along, got some gargoyle decorations from fantasy terrain on top, they're a bit oversized & goofy/cartoony looking, but I like 'em anyway. one of the sponsons is missing a lascannon, though, so that's going to take some work to adequately repair.

 

I'll try and get some in progress pictures up tomorrow maybe.

 

 

In the mean time, some of my painted models were featured on the local GW's facebook page, so that's pretty cool: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.630077550378013.1073741834.178158548903251&type=3