The Road to Astronomi-Con 2014 (page 8 Inq Warband Complete)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

After another lengthy hiatus from posting, I finally have a meaningful update. The Hydra is now almost done -- all it needs is weathering. Here are a couple pictures of it pre-weathering. I hope to get the weathering done today or tomorrow and I'll post the final thing and will be a big step closer to finishing my vow and my army.

[Sviar]

Amazing Hydra. I like all the details you put into it. And the rusted tracks looks great.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Sviar -- glad you like it! It has far too much of that factory new sheen right now though. Nothing that some black and boltgun metal paint, and a lot of Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil can't fix though! Be ready for the battle damaged and weathered version later today. I've applied the battle damage and Agrax Earthshade this morning. Once it's dry, it'll get another wash of Nuln and then a bunch of mud. THEN it will be ready.

 

EDIT: Quick question: do you guys glue the Hydra Autocannons in place or no?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Okay, here is the finished Hydra, complete with battle damage and other wear-and-tear:

A side view to get a good look at the weathering:

... and a detail shot of the crew compartment. Most expensive Hydra ever given the crew members

[Kierdale]

Very nice work indeed!

Great colours and weathering.

 

I've got one on order and don't intend to glue the barrels in. As I understand it it's relatively easy to make it an interchangeable dual-build? Though you may be past that point by now ;)

 

What do you have planned next?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Kierdale, glad you like it. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and it fits in nicely with the other DKoK vehicles.

 

Well, I've got a Storm Chimera and the Quartermaster Cadre posted above, both of which are about 1/2 done.

 

Then I've got to finish two sergeants without power swords and then all I have left is the Inquisitor's ride and the rest of his retinue. Having gotten a bit tired of Field Grey and German Grey and Red Brown, I did a bit of painting today on an Arco Flagellant and a cherub (counts-as servo-skull). I'm getting down to the home stretch now. I am feeling quite confident I'll have everything done before 24 July and with time to spare (maybe even enough time for a second ETL vow of Scions!). Going to do some work on assembling the Land Raider tonight but need to do it in such a way that I can pull it apart and paint the interior (kind of feel obliged to do so given the modelling in there).

 

... Oh, and I need to paint a Demolisher turret since I decided to bring a Demolisher instead of a LRBT for Astronomi-con.

[WarriorFish]

Excellent work, the addition of the DKoK troopers and netting etc really makes it pop :tu:

[Sviar]

I really like it Great work.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, guys!

I took another big step today towards ETL vow completion by finishing my Quartermaster Cadre:

The Speaker for the Dead - an unusual feature of Valkan* regiments, including the E.O.V.R. is the combination of confessors and battlefield medics found in most Astra Militarum regiments into the Speakers of the Dead. These are members of the Ecclesiarchy and the Astra Militarum holding a commission simultaneously. They don black ceremonial robes over their uniforms and accompany advancing Valkan units exhorting the troops to deeds of heroism while their cadre records the heroism and sacrifices and collect salvageable “relics” from the martyred dead for re-use and veneration.

* I have referred in my fluff thus far to Sorgrece V. I decided that it needed an actual name. It is still the fifth planet orbiting the the large B6 (blue-white) main sequence star named Sorgrece.

And as a little bonus, since I was getting tired of using Tamiya paints (the Field Grey, German Grey, et al), I did a little bit of my Inquisitorial Warband. I present, therefore, Arius-458 (Arco-Flagellant), Novice Interrogator Marcellus (Acolyte -- he is the young boy referenced in the fluff story here), and a cherub (counts-as servo skull)

[WarriorFish]

Good work Nico, great to see these guys finished after all this time :) They look very good, particularly the Speaker's hat.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, WarriorFish! I'm getting very close to finishing my ELT vow. I did a little bit of greenstuff and kitbashing on the ministorum priest to spice him up a little and make him look more like a Redemptionist. Here are some WIP photos -- I think he's ready for priming:

I think I can get him done, plus the weathering on the Chimera to finish my vow in time for Tuesday's ETL update -- as small as my contribution is. Then I'll unfortunately have to put my ETL painting on pause to finish Lord Inquisitor Soulis' ride (Land Raider) and his warband. I am still stumped on what to do for the Death Cult Assassins though. I'm afraid my army is a "sausage party" so no women, plus the whole skintight leather suit is too BDSM for my tastes anyway. I'm tossing around a few ideas that I'd like input on ...

Eldar Rangers with weapon swaps and give them Blood Angel Sanguinary Guard death mask heads -- might make for some cool quasi-monk-ish death cult. Not sure how I'd colour them ... gold masks and armour, with black or white robes? Could look kind of cool. Just realised they're FInecast and webstore exclusive, not multi-part plastic kits I could pick up at the local gaming store though! Blast!

For a heavier DKoK theme to fit with my troops, I considered DKoK engineers painted black, no backpacks, free-hand skull on their gasmasks, and two power swords. Their armour is slightly too bulky but the don't have greatcoats. Plus those models are so bloody expensive, converting 2-3 of them into DCA will preclude my using the remaining models as veterans with carapace. Plus, I won't always be using this henchman squad in conjunction with my DKoK, they'll also ride with my planned Militarum Tempestus Inquisorial Storm Trooper army.

Other ideas? Any help brain-storming will be appreciated.

[scatmandoo]

Wow I cannot believe I have missed this thread. Your work is amazing and your models and conversion work is of a very high standard in my opinion.

 

Your list looks good though have you considered instead of having the 3 russes in a command sqn, putting one of them in a heavy slot to itself. I only suggest this as you cannot guarantee the tank orders and I have failed most of mine so far.

 

As for the latest dilema about the assasins, your last idea with swords sound good though have you looked at the empire models from fantasy? The warrior priests or free company or great swords could work or be a base to start with?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, scatmandoo. The DKoK-themed DCA seem to be the crowd favourites since those were what seemed most popular at the Grey Knights forum as well. So I guess I will go for it.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

P.S. -- as my army is now nearing completion, I have set up my first test battle against the owner of the local gaming shop just down the street from my office. The battle will occur Thursday so I'll likely have a battle report of some sort, even if just a summary. More things to stay tuned for! Got the Storm Chimera almost done, will likely finish it by the end of the day and don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to complete the priest (and my vow) tomorrow!

P.P.S. -- I can't take a command tank because I'm using the Death Korps of Krieg Assault Brigade list and their only HQ options are Company Command Squad and Quartermaster Cadre. The list has changed a lot recently to accommodate a Land Raider for Lord Inquisitor Soulis to drive around in, so there is now but a single Russ anyway

[WarriorFish]

He looks good, another productive kit bash! Have you thought about DE Wyches? I'm sure you can de-Eldar them easily enough with your GS skills :)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I've had a look at them. Having a hard time envisioning what I could do with them that would be my style. I may just stick with the DKoK theme because it would fit with my overall fluff of an army that got good a fighting HTH by being invaded by World Eaters -- this would be another aspect of that -- plus I already have the models. I don't know that I would use them for veterans with carapace and shotguns anytime soon as I am itching to build the Scion army next plus I still have my BA successor Angels Sorrowful who I think would be fitting allied to my son's budding Imperial Fists in a team tournament next year or the year after (I have to plan that far ahead, to wit: this thread has been going since September and I still don't have 1500 points yet, nor had I started from zero!).

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Modelling mishap tonight. I missed a step in assembling the Land Raider and thus the front assault ramp wouldn't work properly. So I decided to just glue the rest of the model together and glue the doors shut. It's actually a bit of a load off not having to paint the interior anymore. But somehow I glued things just slightly out of true so the too didn't quite fit. Hopefully this will not be noticeable when it's painted black.

[Kierdale]

Sorry to hear about the mishap! :(

 

You have some lovely models and great conversions. Quite some imagination!

I love the pose of the guy with the book and chainsword.

"You follow this...or you get this!!"

[WarriorFish]

Curses... but the door mechanism was never great I found, especially once it was painted so it's not a huge loss. Most people never look inside anyway and if they do no more than once!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Well, as posted on the ETL thread, I finished my vow today. For those who have been following my journey of preparation for Astronomi-con, here is a bonus detail shot of my Munitorum Priest, Redeemer Karlist, a long-time companion of Lord Inquisitor Soulis:

And bonus #2, a picture of Tank #225 the which used to be tank #223 -- i.e. Lord Jagiello's Hussars, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Troop, Tank 5 (LJH uses standard Valkan organization of 5-tank Troops, Tank 1 is the Troop commander/Vanquisher, then 3 LRMBT, and tank #5 is a Demolisher):

[WarriorFish]

That was bloody quick, good job on the Redeemer - I really like the detail on his book :tu: The tank of course looks great, the camo netting make a surprisingly big difference. Well done as always Nico! :D

[Kierdale]

Very quick, not to mention good, work!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks again gents!

I'm getting excited about finally fielding this army for the first time later today. At least all the DKoK stuff is painted, hope the dice gods don't brutalize my proxied crusaders and DCA too much. But at least Soulis is fully painted. Speaking of which, here's a preview/early WiP shot of his Land Raider:

[WarriorFish]

Very nice! The black highlighting is good as are the additional details so it's coming along well :)

 

Reminds me of the Inquisitorial Land Raider I did many years ago... I should find that again :P

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Communiqué from the front ...

Top of turn 3. Lord Inquisitor Soulis down to one wound in a challenge with White Scars Chapter Master. Lt. Khodkiewicz' platoon just got wiped and he's running back to collect reserves. Demolisher out but everyone else still on the board. White Scars have lost about a dozen bikes and a 5 man tac squad that my scions cooked when they deep struck (apparently no one bothered to tell my Inquisitional Storm Troopers that Hotshot Lasguns "suck").