++ AUGUSTUS b'RAASS ++ pre-heresy BRASS SCORPION p.247

[Dragonlover]

If you're looking to invent a Knight scheme that can be moulded to any God and doesn't look like any Legion scheme you're limited to white, grey, yellow, orange and brown. Some purples are also workable, depends on how you view the Emperor's Children scheme.

 

Dragonlover

[KrautScientist]

The Lord of Contagion conversion is already looking brilliant That head is the perfect choice for the pose, and I love how those elaborate decorations on the shoulder pad create that extra bit of oomph for the silhouette. And since you complained, there seems to be another hair on the right side of his breastplate, near his gorget -- there, happy now? ;)

 

I am still on the fence about making a cockpit - it's a lot of work, but well worth the effort I think. I was going to glue the top caracpace in place to make it redundant, but now that DuskRaider has convinced me not to do that, I think I'll go for the cockpit. YAY!

 

I'll come out and say it in the clearest possible terms: Given the level and ambition of your work, you just have to do a cockpit and pilot, period. Everything else would feel like a copout. Trust me ;)

 

That being said, on top of craftsmanship angle, I think it's just fun to treat the pilot of a Knight as an actual character in your army, and think about who they are, what they look like and how that would influence their ride -- to the point where my own Traitor Knight was really started by conceptualising the pilot, although I realise that might be a slightly weird approach.

 

Regarding the colour scheme - and this is obviously not a paramount consideration at the moment: Focus on getting the blasted thing completely built first! - I'd say go for something bold and unique that sells the model as its own thing (and its own character), while also featuring some shout outs to both your World Eaters and Deathguard. Personally speaking, I think I'd go for bone as the predominant carapace colour, with red as secondary colour, and possibly black markings?! Bone and red will go really well with World Eaters, while the skeletal look would also work well for Death Guard. And if he's some kind of renegade Freeblade not permanently allied to either legion, looking different from the armies wouldn't even be a problem, but rather a visual advantage ;)

[DuskRaider]

I came to comment on the coloration and I see the German covered most of what I was to say. I would recommend an ivory or bone as the main color with a secondary of your choice. Red would be the best as it really pops against White. I'd go with an asymmetric scheme as well, something to throw the viewer off.

 

Perhaps take the inspiration from Atrax and swap the black for white, see how that works.

 

I do have to disagree with Kraut on a couple things, though. First, I believe that choosing the scheme should be one of the first decisions when doing a project like this. I'm not big on pre-planning for anything (hence 3 kids, lol) but I'll have at least an idea of what I want to accomplish and then make any changes on the fly. Case in point, my Death Guard. I had planned the white with red iconography, but the black came to me off the cuff.

 

Second, I think making the pilot is a great idea but I don't think you have to do the interior. Some things are best left to the imagination and the cockpit of a Knight who's corrupted by Chaos is one of them unless you planned on doing so ahead of time.

[KrautScientist]

I do have to disagree with Kraut on a couple things, though. First, I believe that choosing the scheme should be one of the first decisions when doing a project like this. I'm not big on pre-planning for anything (hence 3 kids, lol) but I'll have at least an idea of what I want to accomplish and then make any changes on the fly. Case in point, my Death Guard. I had planned the white with red iconography, but the black came to me off the cuff.

 

Just to be clear, I'd agree it's really important to figure out a scheme beforehand on, say, an army project. For a model like this, where the task is actually to fit it into an existing collection, I think it's equally viable to make stuff up as you go. But there's obviously no right or wrong here, just different strategies.

 

Second, I think making the pilot is a great idea but I don't think you have to do the interior. Some things are best left to the imagination and the cockpit of a Knight who's corrupted by Chaos is one of them unless you planned on doing so ahead of time.

 

See, this is very I really, really disagree, but that's mostly because I really cannot understand not wanting to add a pilot and interior. Like, at all. Doesn't your converter sense just tingle looking at that huge torso, because you want to explore what's inside it? I think it might be different with a heavily mutated or warped Knight that is obviously daemonically possessed. But for a slightly cleaner build, like the one Augustus is creating, and for a hobbyist with insane attention to detail and a competitive spirit, like our Auggs, there's really no excuse, is all I'm saying

 

 

@ Auggs: As a short addendum RE: the colour scheme, I keep thinking of something resembling, but not completely like, Morbäck's brilliant Knight here, so I'll just include the link to provide you with some extra inspiration, which is always good for a project like this ;)

Edited September 14, 2018 by KrautScientist

[Biohazard]

Knight is coming along great. I really like the pose, I’d looked at those Russian legs a while back and walked away when I saw the price.

 

Looking forward to see this guy progress, whaichever way you go with it. :tu:

[Augustus b'Raass]

Wow, I had a great day with my hobby buddy Graham - he's Irish, and one of the most relaxt guys I've ever hobby'd with - this is our fourth Friday hobbying together in about five months, and we both agreed we should do it more often. Fun times.

 

And productive times! Even though I got distracted from my distraction project (the Chaos Lord) while I'm working on the Chaos Knight, I completed all goals I had set myself for today:

- Finish the basic sculpt for the chaos lord

- Do the first round of chaosification-sculpting on all non-chaos armour plates of the Knight

- Just begin on the basic construction of a conversion of the standard DI Bloat Drone into one with a fleshmower

 

Alright, first the Chaos Lord. WOW has my sculpting improved after BCK's video tutorial on how to smooth GreenStuff, where he uses canola oil as a lubricant. I used Olive Oil and found that it works just as well. And MAN did it improve my sculpting game! So a BIG, HUGE thank you to BCK for making that tutorial. I now understand his addiction to sculpting. There's a certain zen-like quality to using greenstuff in this fashion. Anyway. here's what I did so far:

 

His basic belly. I plan on scultping skin pulled over and stapled to the lower rim of his breastplate. And maybe add some chain to hold all his guts in. I might even cut away all plstic guts and do my own, now that I found this new trick.  

 

 

Here's his back. I used the Plague Spewer backpack - which I only now found out is super easy to make into a cool regular backpack: just clip the hose from the bottom. Easy.

 

Here's his back sans backpack. For my doing, this is SUPER neat sculpting. I know there could be a lot improvement, but for a first time, this is great - and Nurgle doesn't really require super straight and smooth surfaces.

 

And per the above request by DuskRaider a comparison picture next to a regular Death Guard Marine. He's bigger, but not by much. Such is the cool thing of the power creep! Truescale is now far easier to incorporate into your army than previously.

 

Anyway, I also did a lot of scultping arrows and chaos thorns on all non-crrupted armour plates of the Knight build. These will recieve another layer and some of these I will redo. 

 

And lastly: the start of a fleshmower conversion with a standard DI Bloat Drone as a base. I've long had the idea of using the Talos tentacle-y bits and scultping them on the drone and have a counts-as fleshmower. But then when I got the actual customizable Bloat Dron kit I realized the mower is held aloft by a pair of arms, similar to the ones on the Talos bits. So I started figuring out a way to use those. I just needed to create something to attach the mower to the arms.... and then it hit me! I had a couple half-used Storm Eagle sprues left over from the Fire Raptor and Storm Eagle projects I did earlier this year. And the landing gear proved to be just the bit I needed!!!!

 

 

Whoop whoop! I'm on a roll!

Have a great weekend!

 

Cheers!
 

Replies:

 

@ BCK: Hmm, I really like that head, and it's perfect for this pose - he's besieging Grandfather Nurgle for his gifts! So unfortunately no can do on the head-swap request!

 

@ sfPanzer: Well, maybe he is? I'll name him Nostramo - he's the main antagonist in Mozart's first opera, Die Zauberflöte - and he's very much into the dark arts. Silly enlightenment era Europeans.

 

@ Viridia: Exactly! That's what I was aiming for. I'll consider the loyalist victim idea. I have the Wounded Space Marines somewhere...

 

@ DuskRaider: Roughing the frame up will be achieved with scratching and gouging it with hobby knives and scultping tools. You can get the reposable Knight legs for $8 - that's gotta be worth it. Shoot me a PM.

 

@ Dragonlover: Eh, I don't really agree with you there. Forté has showed during ETLIV that any colour can represent any god - he did this orange&pink Nurgle Lord, remember?

 

@ KrautScientist: Would you believe Peer actually peed in my Lightbox the other day!? Goddamn cat. you have already convinced me to do the interior cockpit, don;t worry. I have been keeping a resin Reaver Knight princep's throne (which I have had spare for years) as well as a Land Raider's engine block aside for just this purpose. Thanks for the colour scheme ideas! Also: WOW on that Knight of Morbäck. I hadn't seen it before and duuuuude there's so much going on there. I gotta incorporate that stuff in the Knight.

 

@ DuskRaider & KrautScientist: BITCHFIGHT! 

 

@ Biohazard: I know where you can get them for $8. Shoot me a PM.

Edited September 14, 2018 by Augustus b'Raass

[hushrong]

I am really loving the reroll lord! I love that howling pose with his head back and arms out wise. Your greenstuff work is top notch too! That is seriously an awesome lord!

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

 

Alright, first the Chaos Lord. WOW has my sculpting improved after BCK's video tutorial on how to smooth GreenStuff, where he uses canola oil as a lubricant. I used Olive Oil and found that it works just as well. And MAN did it improve my sculpting game! So a BIG, HUGE thank you to BCK for making that tutorial. I now understand his addiction to sculpting. There's a certain zen-like quality to using greenstuff in this fashion. Anyway. here's what I did so far:

 

Here's his back sans backpack. For my doing, this is SUPER neat sculpting. I know there could be a lot improvement, but for a first time, this is great - and Nurgle doesn't really require super straight and smooth surfaces.

 

 

Replies:

 

@ BCK: Hmm, I really like that head, and it's perfect for this pose - he's besieging Grandfather Nurgle for his gifts! So unfortunately no can do on the head-swap request!

 

I'm glad the tutorial is helping you improve your sculpting already! This is exactly what I was hoping for with the video and it looks great, especially the back! :D  As for the head, I can't fault the conversion maker for a bit that I don't personally care for and completely understand. 

[Doghouse]

Fantastic work on the sculpting mate, you've done a great job on the armour and the knight detailing is really nice too.

[DuskRaider]

For that price I may, but the thing is I intend to vow my Knights for Call of Chaos. So I don't know if it's feasible.

 

And Kraut, fight me IRL bro. But seriously, if I were to do a Knight interior at this point I'd just wait for the official cockpit to be released with the new character coming out uhh... this weekend I think?

[Biohazard]

I’m all for the cockpit taking shape, I’ve already butchered the legs into the pose I want for my last Questoris but if (who am I kidding ‘when’ ) I pick up Canis Rex, I may just give you a shout. ;)

 

The Lords look cool so far as well man kudos on the sculpting. It blends really well with the plastic parts :tu:

[malcharion]

Yop Augustus !! 

Those full DG army view are truelly majestic ! The amont of work on this short period of time is just Outstanding. My hat's off to you sir ! 

As for the latter models you've made, even If I'm already drooling by thinking to the knight you work on ... I have to say that this death guard chorister is wayyyy too cool ! I'm half amuse and half disgusted at the idea of this things singing (gargling ?) happyly praises to father nurgle :) .

 

Keep on the good work man ! 

 

Malchy 

[Dragonlover]

I'd forgotten about Fortés orange and pink Nurgle guy. Fair point.

 

Dragonlover

[KrautScientist]

The LoC is looking better and better all the time! Love the choice of backpack, and that sculpted armour looks really neat! I'd personally keep the existing plastic guts and add some sculpted detail on top of them -- there's being confident in your abilities and then there's being needlessly ambitious (I admit it's a tough line to walk) ;)

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

there's being confident in your abilities and then there's being needlessly ambitious (I admit it's a tough line to walk)

 

[The Traitor]

That knight is looking amazing, and sculpting arrows in the less corrupted parts will do a lot for him. Also, the chaos lord looks nice, though I must say it bothers me a bit how in 8th it's usually better to field your HQs barebones (at least for CSM), which removes a lot of the coolness of badass weapons if you want to go fully represented. Still, you made quite a good job, reminds of the Dawn of War chaos marines.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Wow, page 200 has arrived. Man oh man. That's been 4,5 years in the making and it's been such a ride so far. Thanks for all the comments, critique, insights, jokes, banter, tips, links, inspiration and friendship, guys and gals. To every one of you.

 

 

Anyway, back to the fun stuf.

Hidden Content

 

I did some more sculpting on the Chaos Lord (and on the Knight, but that's not presentable yet) - I thought it'd be a cool idea to staple his belly to his chest plate, to make sure it doesn't droop completely out of his armour.

What do you think?

 

Additionally, I started work on my first Call of Chaos unit, another unit of Plague Marines! This time with meltaguns. I have five left after these guy, with two more on sprue - of which I'm probably making a couple to be wielding Blight Launchers. There's a cool list I have in mind of five units of five PMs with two Blight Launchers each, along with a Chaos Lord with the warlord trait Arch Contaminator and the Fugaris' Helm. He''ll have a 10" bubble in which units reroll 1s to hit and all Plague Weapons reroll all failed wound rolls. Not the most competitive, but fun times!

 

Anyway, here's pictures.

 

Squad Somulud

 

 

Plague Sergeant Somulud

 

Vexilarius Phunox 

 

Melee Specialist Murmur 

 

Weapon Specialist Guligu (obviously this is the Plague Brethren guy)

 

Weapon Specialist Beluth (his legs originaly belonged to one of my two Foul Blightspawn )

 

Let me know what you think!

 

Cheers

 

Replies!

 

@ hushrong: Yay, thanks buddy!

 

@ BCK: Well, I'm very glad for it, so again: thanks!

 

@ Doghouse: Thanks! High praise from mr Truescale Himself!

 

@ DuskRaider: In terms of time, maybe not, OR MAYBE YES! They deliver in six weeks or so, so if you have the top ready by then, all you have to do is work on the pose and done!

 

@ Biohazard: Thanks, mate. Still not sure about the cockpit. It's a lot of work for fairly little payoff. It's the same thing I have with Land Raider and Rhino interiors. Why bother, you know?

 

@ malcharion: Hey malchy! Thanks for the shout out, buddy! I like the idea of him gargling praises at Nurgle.

 

@ Dragonlover: Not to worry. I of course am in full favour of the idea that at least some stereotypes should be avoided. Too much Red will make it look Khornish. But Mörbeck has shown that bone, blue and orange could make a fantastic looking Nurgle army!

 

@ KrautScientist: I love the fact that you topped off page #200. Thanks for all the support! I kept the belly, but agree with BCKs gif, below your comment!!

 

@ BCK: oh you...

 

@ The Traitor: I know right? Barebones HQs are such a loss for individualization of miniatures. 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Augustus b'Raass

[Panzer]

Oooh I love Beluth! Something about his pose makes him look super awesome!

[Biohazard]

Congrats on page 200, the Lord is looking awesome, that’s a great touch with the stomach staples.

 

New Plague Marines are looking cool, love the close combat specialist.

 

As for the cockpit I hear you completely. Its more a personal touch. I feel I have to add it to all my knights since I’ve already done one :D

All my other vehicle doors are glued shut though ;)

[KrautScientist]

Congratulations on page 200! :)

 

The new squad is looking great. That's a very clever use of the Blightbringer head on that one melta guy, and the sergeant looks like he's having so much fun, swinging his little bell back and forth with wild abandon ;)

 

@ KrautScientist: I love the fact that you topped off page #200. Thanks for all the support! I kept the belly, but agree with BCKs gif, below your comment!!

 

*Sigh* Look, maybe it was poorly worded, but all I was trying to say was that, at least in my opinion, it's not only about being awesome at converting or sculpting stuff, it's also about knowing when it makes sense to keep detail that is already there and about how to best incorporate it into what you are doing. With all due respect, there are few people that can match the sculpting work of someone like Maxime Pastourel, and there's no shame in using the detail present on the model, even if you want to change it around a bit. In fact, the solution you've come up with now actually illustrates my point: It looks great, precisely because it combines your own sculpting with the detail that's already there.

 

On a related note, pinning the rolls of fat to the armour is such a brilliant idea! :)

[rednekkboss]

Loving that Nurgle Lord. "OWWWWwwwwwwww! That's my TOE, you LITTLE !!!" Seriously, he looks like he's roaring! Awesome!   Belly turned out great! And a great looking start for the Call.

[hushrong]

Another great update on the lord! You have no idea how I want to copy yours for my own Black Legion.

 

The new plague marines look great and I love the idea of the blight launcher heavy army list. That weapon is seriously a fun one to shoot and have plenty of.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Squad done! Also the first unit done in my Call of Chaos vow - which I f'd up because I have three DG characters to do and no Plague Bearers. Oh well.  Anyway, picture time!

 

 

Squad Somulud

 

 

Plague Sergeant Somulud

 

Vexilarius Phunox 

 

Melee Specialist Murmur 

 

Weapon Specialist Guligu (obviously this is the Plague Brethren guy)

 

Weapon Specialist Beluth (his legs originaly belonged to one of my two Foul Blightspawn )

 

I hope you like them and welcome your comments!

 

Cheers

 

Replies!

 

@ sfPanzer: I thank you, kind sir! He's kinda cobbled together (I originally had used the Tallyman body for him, but later realized that bit would be best suited for a character, which led me to use it as a basis for my Necrosius conversion a couple pages back). So I used the Blightspawn's legs which I had left over and hey presto: done!

 

@ Biohazard: Insane no? 200 pages, 4.5 years of posting here. I think maybe I'll do a cockpit later, maybe even after I painted the Knight. I did an order of a lot of sitting resin dudes, which I can use as princeps... Damn. Your comment has gotten my brain racing - maybe I'll do a completely corrupted Knight cockpit where everything inside has turned to daemonic fleshmetal and the 'pilot' of the daemon-engine is this soul-infested corpse writhing among cables hooked into the fleshmetal. Groovy...

 

@ KrautScientist: Thanks! Page 200! It's insane! I know you're having a lot of fun with the Velsen Sector, but I know you want to bring that Khorne's Eternal Hunt behemoth of yours up to its bicentennial page, and I already sent you a PM, offering you a Cup of Blood Red to remove your main drawback and make that a reality. But you no respondy. :( Also, thanks on the positivity on the pinned flesh, and yes, I agree I should build my skills by pushing them, not overstepping my (current) bounds. :tu: :)

 

@ rednekkboss: Hahaha maybe change the nurglings into something else? Or no?

 

@ hushrong: Go for it - I love to be copied. But learn from the poolish studio's mistake and please mention me perhaps maybe? ;) The Blight Launcher heavy list came from TableTopTactics. Fun channel.  :tu:

[hushrong]

My jaw just popped out of its socket! You painted that in TWO DAYS! I am envious at your skills! Building/converting is no problem for me but it takes me months just to get psyched to paint something haha. And you can do it all at the snap of a finger, that's awesome. You did a stellar job too! Your plague marines are looking nice and gritty!

 

And no worries. I always cite my research when I take inspiration from someone else as it seems right. Plus, college ground that habit into me with all those papers I had to type. I am getting ready to work on my second BL Berzerker squad and I am slowly thinking the idea of a great cleaver toting plague marine hanging around them will be quite alright.

[Brother Callidan]

Wow that was fast dude. And I was happy with the fact I almost got the basecoat on the 7 Plague Marines in 2 days. Good job with the unit they are looking great. Any tips on painting so quickly?