Suggestions on kitbashing a Corbulo & painting my FT priests

[Ovidius Incertus]

I currently have the two FW apothecaries that I am using as Sanguinary priests for my Flesh Tearers army, and I would like to add a Corbulo counts-as to that mix.  I find the GW Corbulo to be entirely uninspiring, and, while I like the FW sculpts, the Mk3 and Mk4 models are not entirely dynamic and are essentially posed the same way.

 

I'd like to first solicit suggestions for my Corbulo counts-as kitbash/conversion, since I'm at a standstill.

 

I have the apothecary parts to the command squad, and I'm not opposed to buying another set of FW apothecaries, but I'm looking for something unique and, in keeping with the Flesh Tearers, dynamic and rippy-teary-blady-choppy.  (I really don't want to use any chalices, since I find the idea sorta goofy and not in keeping with my idea of the FTs, so a stand-in for the Grail would be cool.)

 

Secondly, I've got my two FW "priests" ready for paint and their bases done ready, but I'm hemming and hawing on a paint scheme to remain Flesh-Teary, but mark them out as apothecaries.

 

I'm thinking of going with the typical crimson body and black left pauldron while doing the right pauldron in bone.  But should I go black with the helmet or also make it bone?  Their surgical aprons will also be bone.

 

Thoughts???

[Teetengee]

As far as I understand, the grail is what makes corbulo corbulo, so I would suggest painting something like it on the armour if you do not want to model it.

[Durus]

Have you considered keeping the pads and helmet black and instead painting the body white? A quick google search turns up a bunch of FW Apothecaries in white with red aprons. Looks pretty good imo and the black helmet and pads will clearly mark them as Flesh Tearers.

As for the conversion, I think you could count the Red Grail as any kind of Chapter relic, it doesn't necessarily have to be a chalice. Could be a weapon (in keeping with the 'rippy-teary-blady-choppy'-theme) or any other random object.
Interestingly enough the only mentions of Chapter relics as far as the Flesh Tearers are concerned are two handed chainswords (Blood Reaver and Memor Nihilis) as far as I know, so this might be an interesting idea, if you were planning on giving the Apothecary some extra wargear. You could also just models it instead of counting it as a relic blade, but then you'll probably have to answer the odd question about how the blade is linked to the rank of Apothecary and why he isn't using it.

 

+edit+

Just stumbled over this. Made me think the helmet and direction the head looks in changes the mini a lot. So if you swap the chalice for something you think fit's better with Flesh Tearers (trophy/severed head?) you could also just use the Corbulo model.