Horus Heresy Tutorials: Thousand Sons Magistus Amon 16/02/17

[NightHunters]

These are just lovely mate, great tutorials easy to follow, if not necessarily that easy to get right :)

[Olis]

I'm fine with a MkVIII going in another thread. :)

 

Also, the Mantilla respirator is the very same that MkV helms use, so I will be waiting with bated breath. :)

[Gawain Veteris]

Hello Brothers!

 

I hope you don't mind if I jump straight into tutorial mode as I'm a little under the weather.

 

MKV Heresy Pattern

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1070.jpg

 

It may just be my cold ridden mind talking, but I would have to say that MKV is by far my least favourite official armour mark. IMO it shouldn't technically be one. Or at the very least there should be a MKV that was (as stated in Deliverance Lost) a stop-gap where older, or rejected armour types were mashed together to make a working alternative to equip under supplied legions. I resent that FW have stamped a definitive look to something which is by its very nature, not uniform.

 

That said, how could I not include the eponymous armour mark in this Heresy Era Armour Marks thread :) so here we go!

 

Preparation

 

This stage is in a very real sense the most important stage in this tutorial. You'll see that half the head has to go. Most of the techniques used for green-stuffing are covered in previous tutorials. You'll also notice that the torso is just the one found in the tactical marine set. Years ago I thought that that was the MKVI torso but alas it is MKV. In both cases however there is only one in each pack (including one studded pad). If you need lots of these guys I can only recommend bits sites or just friends in your local hobby community. To produce a new one from adapted plates would be impractical and not fit in with the level of work ideal for larger projects.

 

Helmet-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1048.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1047.jpg

 

This is the only suit which requires a respirator grill (or at least the stereotypically MKVII kind. Accordingly you should take care to leave it intact when removing the forehead plate. To do this cut upwards (carefully) from the eye lenses and scrape the area back gradually so that the crest is cut to be in line with the ears. You need to remove the pipes on the helmet aswell. Don't forget also to scrape a layer of plate off either side of the crest. This is so you can add studs to it later. Make sure to leave the lenses undamaged in this stage.

 

Legs-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1049.jpg

 

For the legs you need to round off the top of the knee pads and cut away layers of armour plate from both shins and thighs (just like in MKII). Also, flatten the cod piece.

 

Arms-

 

The arms and shoulder pads of the official GW MKV pretty much speak for themselves. They're the standard arms available in each GW marine set (with the exception perhaps of Grey Knights and Sanguinary Guard). If you should desire to add the small devices which link the pads to the elbows (What I guess is some sort of exposed fibre bundle) then simply repeat the method you're about to see in the thigh fibre bundles section in the appropriate place. For the shoulder pads all you need do is remove the trims and add studs where desired.

 

Backpack-

 

For the backpack use the MKIV armour marks tutorial but this late in the Heresy I reckon you could legitimately use a MKVII un-converted pack.

 

Tutorial Proper

 

Helmet-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1050.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1051.jpg

Firstly add a blob of Greenstuff to the now-missing forehead of the helmet and push it back to cover the gap. Shape and smooth it to replace the missing forehead plate taking care to add a squared protrusion between the eyes rather than the standard point.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1052.jpg

Next add small sausages to either side of the respirator grill making sure there is a small part which overlaps the grill itself (but only a tiny part!).

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1053.jpg

Once you've done this push the upper edge of this sausage shape inwards to just below the eye lens all the way from the ears to the respirator grill. Flatten the overlapping part of the respirator grill to form the flat edge at the front of the helmet. Once the Green stuff is mostly set (after around 40 minutes from shaping/mixing) it becomes tackier and it becomes more resistant as a result. Use this time to tidy up your respirator, making sure there is a gothic-window shape grill where once it was triangular.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1054.jpg

After this add studs to the top of the helmet like so. I have used the slightly larger beads which can be found in any water filter (I got mine from Wilko but others are available elsewhere) though it does take a bit of sifting to get the right size. I have also used my standard beads to serve as what I call the 'tusks' of the MKV helmet.

 

Leg details-

 

Cod-piece

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1055.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1056.jpg

The cod piece is a very simple section. Simply add a small blob to the removed plate area and re-shape the cod-piece. This will allow you to set the three studs in place without drilling which if messed up can make the placement of studs wonky.

 

Shin guards-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1060.jpg

The shin guards apply the same principle as the cod piece. Reshape the missing plate with a little green-stuff and then add the appropriate number of studs. The frequency of studs I used is as follows: 1-2-3-2*-3-2-(1).

 

The '2*' is the front line of studs. The '(1)' indicates that this is a repeated number. So the '1' is the back of the shin guard between the two lines of 2 studs.

 

Thigh Fibre Bundles-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1063.jpg

From the centre of one knee pad run a sausage of Greenstuff up to the soft armour at the hip.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1064.jpg

Flatten and square off the sausage like so.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1065.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1066.jpg

Score lines across and at the sides of the fibre bundle making sure to leave the top section slightly larger to accommodate the bonding stud.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1067.jpg

Repeat where necessary (at each outside edge of the thigh plate) using the same method.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1070.jpg

And there you have him.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1071.jpg

 

Here is a group shot of the story so far. The astute among you may notice my home-made nuncio vox on the back of the MKII marine. This is made from the Aegis defence line vox box which protrudes from the communications array. You can make something similar by using any Imperial Guard Vox backpack and adding backpack vents, Like so,

 

Hope you guys found it useful. I enjoyed making the helmet, I'll say that :P Hope that's what you were after Olisredan.

 

Next up will be MKI (10th November) but I personally am in the mood for some mini tutorials aswell. Expect a helmet or two popping your way between now and MKI.

 

Cheers Brothers,

 

GV

Edited November 3, 2012 by Gawain Veteris

[Dosjetka]

Nice tutorial, as always :) Not sure when I'll get around to do some sculpting, but because you make it look so easy, I want to give it a try. Anyhow, keep stuff coming! :P

 

Ludovic

[Olis]

Knocked it out of the park, brother. That'll do me fine. :)

[Gawain Veteris]

I'm fine with a MkVIII going in another thread.

 

Olisredan:As I say it's certainly something to consider. The Heresy tutorials in the next batch are a whole different animal though. MKI can hardly be said to be the most popular suit and cataphractii has been rendered so well in so many different ways that I can only hope I please with my own attempt ;)

 

Also, thanks for the compliments brothers ;)

 

GV

[Skoby]

You make this seem too easy, my attempt at a mark IV came out quite rough and only when it was almost cured i realised it wasnt symmetrical but was able to scrape the greenstuff off and will try again another day.

[Daemon Smith]

If you know how to make good-looking scaled cloaks, or simply drapes, I would love to see how you do it, as I play Sallies, and really need a good technique for that.

 

Loving the tutorial so far, really excited to use it! Keep it up brother.

[Night Runner]

Great tutorials. I take off my hat and salute you! :)

 

NR

[Gawain Veteris]

Hey Brothers.

 

My apologies for this update being late. My condition has not improved since last week and the work I've done in between has accordingly been slow.

 

Today is MKI Thunder armour though I must apologise for the quality of the tutorial as compared with my previous presentations. The model is how I like it but hopefully how I made it will be get across. I will make sure to add detailed descriptions. First however, I would like to explain why I went the direction I did with this armour mark.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1133.jpg

MKI Thunder Armour Intro: In my research for this suit I was surprised to learn that it wasn't just partially powered, but only the upper half of a thunder armour suit (typically) was powered armour. If the legs bore any ceramite at all it was for shin guards as a popular armament during the unification wars for thunder warriors was similar to the Lentum Knights as detailed in the artwork by Sam Wood found in Horus Heresy Collected visions. Naturally this artwork heavily influenced my approach and in fact caused me to prepare the groundwork for a future tutorial for the Adeptus Custodes, which will be going in another thread (because custodes are a whole different animal).

 

What you will see in this tutorial is something very different to the previous and indeed familiar armour marks. One piece of information attested to by all sources I could lay my hands on regarding thunder armour is that no one suit is the same. Accordingly, creative licence is essential. When using this tutorial (if you should choose to do so) I recommend you have a good hard think about what you want your thunder warriors to look like because the world is your proverbial oyster.

 

And now the late, shoddy and bizarre tutorial for the Thunder Warriors of old Earth.

 

MKI Thunder Armour

 

Preparation:

 

To those of you with colour vision you may notice that there are touches of green stuff on the scout's legs which follow. This is just because the only scouts legs I had to hand were those from a scout bike I used for a conversion. So I reposed them to serve this purpose. Rest assured that this tutorial works on all standard scout legs. Scout snipers I'm not so sure as I haven't seen the inside of that kit for a few years.

 

Head- The most important bit of this tutorial I think is the head as it's what people most associate with Thunder Armour. The unsealed, plumed helmet. So accordingly for this you will first need a bare head (preferably with no bionics), a standard space marine helmet, and a plume of your choice. Or make your own plume. Doesn't matter as long as it looks plumey.

EG:

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1115.jpg

This plume came from one of the space wolf bare heads. He was not too pleased to lose his top knot but he makes up for it in beard IMO.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1113.jpg

With the bare head you need to cut away the back of the head and the fore head down to the eye brow. For the helmet you should follow the MKII instructions. Basically remove all lenses, grills and pipes of the visor and face plate leaving only the forehead. Make sure the 'crest' of the helmet goes too :) You then need to glue the face bit into the socket made in the helmet. This may take some tweaking to get it right so test fit the bits before glueing.

 

Legs- Once again these legs are the same in essence to standard scout legs so don't be alarmed. I haven't done a load of conversion work which is necessary for this tutorial to work :) Infact I took great pains to make sure I left on all the bits which needed to be lopped off for this tutorial :P

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1111.jpg

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1119.jpg

Specifically the ball of the outside of each ankle and the front part of the shin should be removed like so...

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1111.jpg

This leaves the shin clear to create the shin guard.

 

Body- The body is prepared in the same way as the rest except that the curve needn't be removed from the front. Instead simply remove all the front details (unless it has wings in which case it would fit right in), and cut away the back curve up to the back pack socket. It's also recommended that you remove the whole abdomen to aid posing and to avoid making the marine too lanky. This fixed in the Gstuff stage.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1106.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1110.jpg

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1118.jpg

At the end of preparation you should have something like this. Leave the plume off until last so as not to continually break it off while modelling. You should pin the torso to the legs.

 

Green Stuff Stage-

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1123.jpg

First of all add a blob to the front and back of the abdomen. It need't be huge. Just enough to fill the gap and to secure the pin which keeps the torso in place.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1124.jpg

After this move straight to the legs. That way while you're working on those the abdominal blob can be curing a little, making the following torso stage easier. Anyway, place a sausage shape blob along the front of each shin.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1125.jpg

I've tried to be true to the artwork by Sam Wood with mine but the basic design you want to achieve when shaping this sausage into a shin guard is a smooth place which covers the ankles and has some kind of boss where the knee is.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1126.jpg

After this we can move back to the torso. If you'll cast your minds back to my very first MKIV tutorial seen on page one of this thread you'll see the instructions for creating piping from green-stuff. The same is done here. Place another blob on the abdomen, making sure it's enough to smooth over and fill the remaining space (front and back).

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1127.jpg

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1128.jpg

Here you can see the lines in the green stuff which show where the pipes should go. The upper two at the front should come down from the toso on either side and feed into the middle. The lower two at the front should sweep round to the backpack socket.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1129.jpg

Once you have detailed these pipes to your liking you should add an oval shaped blob to the abdomen (this should be fairly hefty as it forms the armoured boss at the heart of the armour design. Next you should make a ridge around the side of your blob and tidy it up to form the boss shape you want. Circular or Oval is best IMO.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1130.jpg

For the ballistic lenses you should add a sliver of green stuff to the brow of the warrior.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1132.jpg

Smooth the sliver across each eye and shape it to form the lenses like so.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1134.jpg

Finally add the plume and a MKII/MKIII backpack as detailed in the backpacks section of this thread and your Thunder Warrior should be good to go. I didn't go into detail for the arms because I believe they're too varied for a tutorial. I'd recommend plated shoulder pads and if possible gloved arms. Khorne bezerkers and indeed chaos marine arms would be ideal I believe.

 

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1136.jpg

Here is a sneak peak of a concept sketch I drew when I conceived of a way to use Sam Wood's artwork as a basis for a Legio Custodes army using the Legions Army List in Betrayal. When It gets up and running I'll post a link here to my Custodes thread. I'm very excited to do it but I have some projects still to do such as Heresy Emperors Children, Sons of Horus and Dark Angels (40k).

 

So brothers that's my armour through the ages. All that remains now is Cataphractii and Justaerin Terminator Plate (Plus the additional detail tutorials). These will follow soon. Probably this week and next week but I must confess I am terribly busy and ill at the moment so I'll see what I can do. In the mean time I hope this is helpful and do keep an eye out for updates :)

 

Daemon Smith

...know how to make good-looking scaled cloaks, or simply drapes...

 

I will see what I can do ;)

 

Thanks very much to all for encouragement and interest. Cataphractii is on its way ;)

 

GV

[Olis]

Very nice, once again. :)

[Adeptus-Alaska]

Yeah that right there, that MK1, that's a win!

[Terminatorinhell]

These are just so awesome...I'll have to try them out over christmas break.

[death given form]

Interesting take on the Mk.I, but I have to say I'm not a huge fan. Stylistically, it really differs from what most representations of Mk.I looks like. As you say, creative license was taken, although I think some of your research sources may be a bit off. From what I understand, early Mk.I wasn't fully powered; like you stated, it was only the torso that had any sort of power source. Later on during Unification, however, the whole suit was powered (could be wrong, though).

 

Your version lack some of the more distinctive features that really made Thunder Armor stand out, which is of course chain mail, and armor on the upper legs. In addition, a Mk.I cuirass was very similar in form to the Mk.IV.

 

I really am sorry if it seems like I'm picking everything apart. As always, the quality of your work is very nice, but I'd really actually like to see you re-do this one, as Mk.I is one of my favorite styles of power armor.

 

Thanks again for your tutorials, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

[Jolemai]

Very nice version of the MKI; I certainly wouldn't have expected it to be done using Scout legs!

 

As for Chainmail, surely they could be modeled before the greaves are added to the legs if that was your desire?

[Gawain Veteris]

Hey brothers,

 

Thanks for the comments and crits :) Just in the library so I thought I'd procrastinate a little and answer some messages :)

 

Death given form:

 

Interesting take on the Mk.I, but I have to say I'm not a huge fan. Stylistically, it really differs from what most representations of Mk.I looks like. As you say, creative license was taken, although I think some of your research sources may be a bit off. From what I understand, early Mk.I wasn't fully powered; like you stated, it was only the torso that had any sort of power source. Later on during Unification, however, the whole suit was powered (could be wrong, though).

 

Your version lack some of the more distinctive features that really made Thunder Armor stand out, which is of course chain mail, and armor on the upper legs. In addition, a Mk.I cuirass was very similar in form to the Mk.IV.

 

I really am sorry if it seems like I'm picking everything apart. As always, the quality of your work is very nice, but I'd really actually like to see you re-do this one, as Mk.I is one of my favorite styles of power armor.

 

Thanks again for your tutorials, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

You are entirely correct and right to say that it is very far removed from most versions. Indeed many distinctive features are missing. May I say from the outset that there is no need whatsoever for giving a frank appraisal of my approach. MKI is a mysterious entity for numerous reasons, notleast of which is that not many 'official' models exist. The very nature of the armour is that there is no standardised appearance of it which is IMO why numerous incarnations have been seen with fatigues, chainmail, scale mail and so on. Jolemai is correct in saying that the tutorial for MKI is easily modified to accomodate chaimail and such things. Sorry if I didn't make that clear above :P

 

The powered upper torso and standard lower half was something I at first lamented but resolved to very much like about the suit and I'll tell you why; You are correct that the sources say towards the end of the unification wars the Thunder Warriors were more or less entirely armoured (even the legs). This I think was in response to the growing number of expansions into the Sol System (most notably Luna and Mars). Sealed armour became a necessity. However, as you correctly stated, this was in the latter days. Thunder armour had more or less lost its individuality. The thunder warriors job was nearly done and so was the job of the individual suits. Mass production would follow. Thunder warriors were becoming the space marines of the future, or at least laying the ground for them. Thunder armour as is typified by many official images of it is the suit to which you refer, that was designed for them to take sol system, but this was indeed the space marines job and not that of the thunder warriors. For the purposes of this tutorial it was important to me to show these things. Why make a gen-hansed human look like a marine? They are very different.

 

For the tutorial my focus was decidedly placed on earlier marks of the Thunder armour. This was because I feel that it wasn't just the thunder warriors themselves that are different to space marines. Cousins, much like the custodes are to the astartes. Accordingly I resolved to aim for two things in my design; To represent that these were not space marines and to create a suit which is as variable as it is unique. The removal of the fatigue layer of the scout legs to be replaced with plates or chains is a very simple procedure, similarly the boss on the cuirass covering the pipes needn't be added, or the pipes could be covered. let us not forget also the ability to add thunder strike details. The suit as we see it in the tutorial is in a very real sense MKI of the MKI type armour :P

 

...bit of a lengthy response there, sorry :P I hope you know I bare no ill feeling to your suggestions. They are good suggestions and I will take them onboard. You actually have helped me notice that while I wanted to illustrate my take on early thunder armour I neglected late or 'official' thunder armour. As such, I will re-do this tutorial in the near future to allow for the suggestions you've made.

 

Hope this has been helpful and thanks again for your interest :)

 

GV

[death given form]

No worries man, and like I said, I really wasn't trying to lambaste you or pick apart your entire tutorial, it's just VERY aesthetically different from pretty much all takes on Thunder Armor I've ever seen. You're right in saying that all suits of Thunder Armor were fairly unique to the wearer, but that's kinda like saying that all suits of power armor are unique to the wearer; no two are ever alike. :cuss

 

Cheers for the reply, it's always nice to gain insight into why something was done the way it was. As to the chainmail, granted it would be fairly easy to modify the tutorial to do it, but not actually what I was attempting to say, sorry. I was more surprised that you didn't even have any on the model, it being such a hallmark feature of this particular type of armor.

[Gawain Veteris]

Cool :cuss I'm glad to give an insight into my approach :) I'll be sure to keep you posted on the next version :)

 

GV

[Scarsminimadness]

Your sculpting is just amazing!!

Were can i buy those skills? ;)

[Gawain Veteris]

Whitescar: Hideously late reply but cheers! And I do take UK commissions. PM me if you want to set one up :P

 

My apologies gents for the distinct lack of cataphractii plate as yet. I have had literally fifty minutes of free time these past two weeks because of rehearsals for a play i was in a few days ago, and for uni work. So the schedule has been a bit knocked off. Nevertheless, in the week coming you can expect helmets and cataphractii tutorials :)

Thanks for the interest, you've been great :)

 

GV

[Brother_Thorus]

....If this works i will know how Corax feelt in Deliverance lost! :)

[Unknown Chronicler]

:P WOW these tutorials are simply amazing, now I will have to try some of these for my marines! Thank you and I hope to see more!

 

This will be fun to make :P

[nusphigor]

You sir have won many internets this day!

 

Bookmarked!

[Gawain Veteris]

Cataphractii Sneak Peek

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1149.jpg

Hey brothers

I'd like to thank all my regular readers for their patience; real life has been terribly busy of late. To wet your appetite I've enclosed a sneak peek of Cataphractii plate in the preparation stage, before any green-stuff was used. I'm writing the entry to the tutorials as we speak and it will be up here in full tonight.

Thanks for comments and compliments guys and I'll be back tonight :P

GV Edited December 3, 2012 by Gawain Veteris

[Unknown Chronicler]

Cataphractii Sneak Peek

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h451/Zaevin/DSCN1149.jpg

 

Hey brothers

 

I'd like to thank all my regular readers for their patience; real life has been terribly busy of late. To wet your appetite I've enclosed a sneak peek of Cataphractii plate in the preparation stage, before any green-stuff was used. I'm writing the entry to the tutorials as we speak and it will be up here in full tonight.

 

Thanks for comments and compliments guys and I'll be back tonight :P

 

GV

 

 

:) can't wait to see the Cataphractii terminator tutorial, my army is already expecting such armour and I would hate to use my money on their products even though I love forgeworld. Please post it quick we all want to see the magic happen! Get to work brother! :P