Aegnor Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Between young kids and work I rarely get to do much hobby-work but with a long weekend just finishing, finally made some progress on my Dark Angel army (I have a bit of stuff my brother and I painted in 2nd Ed, but am slowly augmenting and adding to this). As I, slowly, make progress, I'll stick it in here. Afraid that neither my modelling nor painting skills are especially fantastic, but would welcome all and any feedback/criticism/comments. When the new codex came out, I wanted to try the Deathwing Knights. However, I never liked the look of their maces (the mace heads are just too big, and the censer style of them doesn't appeal to me), nor their hooded heads (I get that DA's are about hoods, but there's a happy medium between looking shady and mysterious and looking like you're going to trip because you can see nothing but your feet). I bought a DWK kit, but after looking at the pieces in the flesh, I built them up as a DW Command Squad instead. Then I saw Belial's WIP thread, and the marvelous stuff he's done in there. That and Spaced Hulk's Sword Bearer's thread really got my modelling juices flowing and gave me the inspiration to try and do a squad of DWK's that I think look good. They are both great threads and I highly recommend them if you haven't seen them - and thank them for the inspiration. It turned out to be essentially be a weapon and head swap. Here are the results - apologies that I don't have a great camera either - these were taken with my phone. Squad: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-33-11-574_zpsdurkubyb.jpg Squad Master: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-08-23-45-59-879_zpsvrb1iosg.jpg Knight 1: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-40-30-181_zpsqw9a3d8c.jpg http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-40-11-227_zpsdido8kro.jpg Knight 2: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-39-22-534_zps7leasvcs.jpg Knight 3: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-38-37-816_zpsdkd3lh5a.jpg Knight 4: http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-35-14-739_zpswhadz3nz.jpg http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y484/Vulkan2013/Mobile%20Uploads/C360_2014-06-09-00-34-57-875_zpszwkhzfsz.jpg I still obviously have a bit of tidying up to do, and some bits aren't yet glued as I plan to paint them before fixing them in place. I'll also have to work out some appropriate bases. Whether I can paint them worth a damn remains to be seen, but they fit my objective of a unit that look like knights, use the more Dark Angel appropriate (in my view) big swords rather than maces, and that look scary to the opposition. More to come, but probably very slowly (fair warning! ) EDIT: Added links to Belial's and Spaced Hulk's threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wraith776 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I share your opinion of Deathwing Knights. The hoods and maces just don't do it for me, I may get a box at some point and follow in yours and others foot steps. Those swords and heads match so much better and to me envision a knight of caliban far more then the over sized maces. The sword and shield combo brings them to life in my opinion.Though I don't much like the pose of the squad leader, it's strange that the rest are in fighting sort of stances while he's completely oblivious. But overall like the simple yet effective conversions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegnor Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 I share your opinion of Deathwing Knights. The hoods and maces just don't do it for me, I may get a box at some point and follow in yours and others foot steps. Those swords and heads match so much better and to me envision a knight of caliban far more then the over sized maces. The sword and shield combo brings them to life in my opinion. Though I don't much like the pose of the squad leader, it's strange that the rest are in fighting sort of stances while he's completely oblivious. But overall like the simple yet effective conversions. Can certainly see what you're saying about the leader. His pose is a bit different from the rest of the squad. In part, I felt a bit limited by his legs, which were the least dynamic of the squad's, but also by the decision to use the CS leader's sword and have him not holding onto his shield, but resting it (actually burying the tip of it in the ground) on the ground. Really wanted to try that look, but see that it does look different from the others who are all shown in motion. Hmmm... maybe he's supervising? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillyfish Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Very nice kit-bashing and I can also see what you mean about the sergeant's pose. There are some things you might be able to do. Firstly replace the helmet with a bare head, glaring down. The replace the existing power-fist, perhaps with either a hand holding the damaged helmet or resting on the top of the shield. If you go with the fomer, the shield could be slung across the back. he will look static, which is different to the other models, but giving a damaged helmet may provide a little narrative and a reason for him doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SvenONE Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Really cool take on them. It's funny how the poses work so much better (I think) with the swords vs the maces. Granted one can play a little with wrist position, but still! I've always hated the Knight Master's pose and I think GW dropped the ball on the flail sculpt (get it?) so I like what you're done here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother dean Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 This is the Knights unit we should have gotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebus Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 There's nothing wrong with helmets, is there? Aesthetic modeling choices aside, I'm sure Deathwing Knights wear helmets on occasion. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Dimetrius Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Great stuff. I absolutely love that look. Just to be sure, those are GK Paladin helmets right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaced Hulk Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Excellent work brother! You've really captured the 'knightly' feel with these guys, and the swords and Grey Knight PA helms look great. I've got some of the GK termie heads which I eventually intend to use on my own First Company (an idea I think I might have 'borrowed' from Bryan Blaire ), but it never occurred to me to try the power armour versions. I actually like the normal hooded heads and the maces, but I still intend to convert my DW Knights into something different. It's all part of the fun of the hobby! Thank you for the kind words (and the link) btw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FerociousBeast Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I share your opinion on the hoods. I really, really don't like the idea that certain Dark Angels are wearing robes UNDER their armor and THEN donning their hood instead of their helmets w/ full sensorium array...... I'm okay with the DWK maces, but I really like your sword conversions, too! Only suggestion would be to drop the power fist on the Knight Master and maybe give him a different kind of weapon to represent the flail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Blaire Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I also like the helmets and really like the swords. I'd echo FerociousBeast though, the power fist looks somewhat out of place with the shield. Awesome work on the Knights though, they look great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shabbadoo Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 ...and this is what GW should have done all along. A Chapter that uses a sword as a main protion of its symbol...having units armed with swords?! Preposterous! It is enough to make one think that GW might read about what people want, or what makes very obvious sense...and then they do the opposite. So, what do we get? Units with big maces. And beaked hammers. And even a special mace, the Mace of Redemption, which is actually superior in nearly every way to the archtyepal, signature weapon of the Chapter- the Sword of Secrets. Not that I am more than annoyed by this, or ranting, or annything... And so if anybody gives you a hard time about the armament of your Deathwing Knights, you just give them a copy of these variant rules: Sword of Absolution Razor sharp, glowing with power and emanating an eerie mist along the lengths of their blades, these ominous weapons are employed by the Deathwing Knights in their endless hunt for the Fallen. In the presence of the most accursed heretics, their power is amplified to an awe-inspring magnitude. Range S AP Type Normal - +2 4 Melee, Bane of the Traitor, Shocking! Smite mode - +6 2 Melee, Bane of the Traitor, Shocked! One use only* * All models in the unit must use their Sword of Absolution's smite setting at the same time. Warblade of Absolution The leaders of the Deathwing Knights eschew the basic swords of their followers in favor of more potent blades. These archaic weapons are carried as a badge of office, and are a reminder to all the Fallen of their ultimate fate at the hands of the Dark Angels. Range S AP Type - +2 3 Melee, Bane of the Traitor, Shocked! Shocked!: A model that suffers one or more unsaved wounds from a weapon with this special rule is reduced to Initiative 1 until the end of the follwing Assult phase due to the fact that they are so shocked that they have been attacked, and wounded, by any sort of elite Dark Angels squad that is actually armed with a weapon so perfectly representative of the Chapter. After reading them, they will likely just shut up. Great looking models, and you are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegnor Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Thanks for all the kind comments. I will have a look at a different way to do the leader model's left arm and shield - agree with the feedback it hasn't quite worked. I kinda liked the "here's my Stormshield which I'm going to use my Powerfist to smash into your face!" idea, but the pose doesn't really convey that, or the idea of them being in motion as the rest of the squad is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlauG Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I absolutely love how the heads look on these. My first set of DW Knights were made from FW Cataphractii so I couldn't do the same, but you can be certain I will "borrow" the look should I make any from Indomitus pattern TDA. While I love the look of the swords too, I have to say, I don't mind the maces myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmo Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I am finding myself wanting to get some helmets for my soon to be painted knights now. Great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djgoldsmith Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 That is great stuff, I also think I shall be "borrowing" (i mean being inspired by) that idea on my next unit of knights. Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.