I bring you FIRE! - A Legion XVIII Salamanders blog

[grand_master85]

Well, I've been working on my Salamanders of late and have been posting in the Horus Heresy bit, but thought it was about time I created my own actual plog on here. I'm quite a ways into my minis, so I'll post up a few bits from what I have done.

 

Took me a while to decide on a Legion, and did what everyone has most likely gone through; starting a Legion, building up, and seeing something shiny or reading an awesome book and changing armies. I think I've been through over half the Legions now haha. Anyways, when I saw the new Salamanders kits at the FW Open Day, I knew they were the army for me. I havn't looked back since :-)

 

SO, to start as I mean to go on, here is the bigt man himself, Primarch of the Salamanders, Vulkan. Lord of Drakes. The Promethean Fire. The Hammer of Salvation. Managed to secure myself a copy of the mini from the 40k Open Day, and pretty much put everything on hold to get him completed. Never had such fun painting him.

 

Here is it at various stages of the process:

 

Built -

 

 

Here is halfway through painting. Was really worried about starting and took me a gooid hour or so to decide how to go about it. Fortunately, FW minis are so detailed at times, it literally paints itself.

 

 

 

 

[grand_master85]

And, the final stages have pretty much been completed at this point. Fortunately, I was on a 10-day break on the south coast, so had plenty of time to get him completed :-) I think the thing I struggled most with was deciding how to paint the marines on his base (specifically,m which Legion) and also how to break up the amount of green on his armour (having decided to go for a variation of the camo green for the cloak). Just adding the red scales to the greaves etc really helped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up, I'll post some pictures of my completed Fire Drakes and the halfway stages of my Sicaran Venator :-)

[Daemon2027]

As I have said in the Age of Darkness section (and on the TFE) your Salamanders are really nice and I will be painting at least one myself using your scheme. You have done Vulkan justice as well.

[Cyrox]

Nice work on Vulcan

 

Looking forward to seeing the Venator. Love that model

[grand_master85]

Here's the finished Volkites squad, and the Storm Eagle I'm halfway through.

 

Master of Signals and Volkites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storm Eagle:

 

 

[disease]

gorgeous stuff

[grand_master85]

Thanks chaps! Here's the scheme as it stands.

 

Green armour:

 

Base - 1:1 Castellan Green and Caliban Green

Wash - 2:1 mix of Athonian Camoshade and Lahmian Medium

Layer - Castellan Green

Glaze - 2:1 Waywatcher Green and Lahmian Medium

Highlight 1 - Loren Forest

Highlight 2 - Elysian Green

 

Shoulder Pads:

 

Base - Army Painter Matt Black

Highlight - 1:1 of AP Matt Black and Mechanicum Standard Grey

 

Gold Trim:

 

Base - Warplock Bronze

Wash - 2:1 Army Painter Strong Tone (or Agrax Earthshade) and Lahmian Medium

Layer - Runelord Brass

Wash - above mix again

Highlight - Ironbreaker I think. Or Leadbelcher, can't recall which.

 

Legion symbol:

 

Base - Ceramite White

Wash - 1:1 Army Painter Dark Tone (or Nuln Oil) and Lahmian Medium

Highlight - Ceramite White

 

Flames -

 

I either blend these up each level or drybrush, depending on the size of the flames. Start with:

 

Mephiston Red

1:1 Mephiston Red and Blazing Orange

Blazing Orange

1:1 Blazing Orange and Yriel Yellow

Yriel Yellow

1:1 Yriel Yellow and White Scar

White Scar

 

The flames should be darker at the top and down to a very few white dots at te base of the flames.

[grand_master85]

Fire Drakes turned up yesterday, a couple of hours before I was due for a 3k game, so had to rush these out. They really are gorgeous bits of kit. I'm surprised just how lucky the Salamanders have been with their releases. There hasn't been one I thought was sub-standard or a bit off.

Anyways, let's just say that Vulkan and the Fire Drakes tore Horus and the Justaerin a new one....a most enjoyable game that the Salamanders won convincingly by 16-6 using Tactical Objectives. 5 Fire Drakes aren't enough for me! I'm planning to do a small army of them...I think 50 should do it ;-)
 

Anyways, here they are before I get some paint on them later on:
 

 

Firedrake Master at the fore
 

[Son of Carnelian]

You don't often see the Salamanders legion done, but I'm overjoyed that you have brought some to life. These look excellent! 

[Argent aquila]

Looks beautiful overall, those terminators will be great!

[lokkorex]

That vulkan is perfect.

[DietOfLiquor]

Your WIP thread is amazing so far! Keep up the fantastic work!

[grand_master85]

Thanks, guys. Havn't started the Fire Drakes or their Spartan yet. I'm thinking about doing my FDs different to FW. I'm trying to decide whether to paint the flames as actual flames or in gold. Also, unsure if I should paint the scales on the shields green, red or a totally different colour. I'm tempted to do the flames as actual flamnes (keep the gold just to the trim and the weapons) and do the shields red. Would certainly make Vulkan's bodyguard unit stand out

[MagicMan]

Love your Vulkan, the red scale sections really help it pop.

[grand_master85]

Here's the tester for Fire Drakes. Not quite complete, need to add the brown wash to the shield and darken the silver on the hammer. Also think that the flames underneath the drakes head should be painted as flames as well and not just bronze. Was undecided on the flames to start with. I know the Forge World scheme is a bit different but as they're called Fire Drakes, I deemed it prudent to paint some actual flames on them! Although it has been noted that the red shield makes the scheme look a bit Christmassy as well, so might have to make it a lot darker red (was more trying to tie the colours in with Vulkan as these guys are his bodyguard).

 

 

 

 

 

[grand_master85]

Very brief update. I've darkened the red on the shield to make it a little less garish, and I've also added flames under the drakes head on the chest, which balances out the mini much better.

 

Overall, I'm very pleased with the mini :)

 

 

[That Guy Matt]

Excellent job on Vulkan.  Liking your Fire Drakes too.  I wasn't sold on them in the FW scheme but I can get behind them now.

[grand_master85]

Yeah I can see what they were going for, but I'm not entirely sure it works. For such lovely minis, two different shades of green and some gold does them a real disservice.

[disease]

Awesome stuff

[grand_master85]

The penultimate update for my Firedrakes. I'm not far off finishing them now, I just need to finish the highlights for the green armour, and highlight the bronze with silver, finish layering and highlighting the bases and then do the chains etc hanging from the shields and torsos, and they'll be complete!

 

Couldn't be happier though with the scheme. I had my doubts after painting the first one, but I wouldn't change them now. I'm tempted to have a few big squads of them and potentially mix the schemes around a bit; so having one with green armour and shields, one squad with black armour and red shields, and a third squad with green armour and black shields. Just for a bit of variety. I'm planning on getting 50 of them (that's right, 50!!). Should make for an interesting game...

 

Anyways, without further ado, here they are. Papa V is also making an appearance in some shots. These particular Firedrakes will act as a bodyguard for him (hence trying to tie in the colours on Vulkan's armour) inside a Spartan Assault Tank, which will be the next thing to do once the squad is finished.

 

Firedrake Bodyguard:

 

 

 

 

 

Firedrake Master:

 

 

 

Vulkan and his Firedrake Bodyguard: