Lucumon's Blood Angels Task Force

[Lucumon]

After a long hiatus (grad school, marriage, purchase and sale of a home, life in general), I've picked up my brushes again after 6 years. I've lurked on occasion and thoroughly enjoyed the modeling and metas you guys have had... so I thought I'd jump back in. I find that by reading your contributions, it drives ideas and motivation for me.  Perhaps I can give back:

 

Thoughts

1. The new GW paints are friggin awesome... one coat of Mephiston Red is sufficient versus the old Blood Red that required 6 coats

2. The new codex is awesome but all my troops are in desperate need of a refresh... the following pictures will have quite a few models where the arms have been ripped off and re-purposed.

3. I am still thinking that BA are a counter attack force with a hammer and anvil concept... let them attack, pivot, then smash them.  My painting will be along these lines: DC, 3x Ass. squads, a bunch of tactical squads, some support staff.

 

Work

I have decided to paint up one of our new ASM squads and a terminator (not because I will use him, but because I bought the squad in 2006)  The Terminator and the Sergeant have had their arms magnetized for future codex changes (since I am averaging one model per year at this point.)

 

If you remember, I started one of the melta gunners... in 2008.

 

 

Thanks for reading... comments and critiques are welcome!

[Xenith]

Hopefully the new paints will see you right!

 

Make a night free for youself, and youll be able to batch paint a squad to table top standard in an evening no bother!

[Lucumon]

So, it took me a couple weeks (Xenith, I think your assessment of my ability is too high... but a lot quicker than before), but I was able to put together a meltacide squad:

 

Further thoughts:

1. Abaddon Black is useless.  It takes 2 or 3 coats to get a decent black... do I have a bad bottle?  White goes on in one coat and black takes 3... 

2. I think the other 2 squads are going to contain some plasma guns.  On the drop, a drop podding assault squad can put out 6 plasma shots... so the shot/point ratio is superior.  But, if you are playing a mech heavy list, then the melta-cide squad is superior as you have an increased chance of getting an exploded vehicle.  Solution?  Magnets.

3. I've been using Armory White Primer and Clear Matte Sealer from Alliance Game Distributors and they are pretty awesome. A  local game store talked about how GW sprays use finer particulates... I will have to try them to see the delta.

4. Speaking of primer... I have based some models in black and painted on mephiston red, then I based them in white and used a black wash (Imperial Primer and Future Floor wax.... really good at staying in the cracks) then painted on mephiston red... next up is prime in black, use the mephiston red spray and see how it works.  This will probably be the fastest.

 

Next up:  A terminator squad I will probably only use once.

[Shaezus]

I found the opposite, abbadon black goes on with one coat whilst white takes at least three. Just me!

 

Love the blue drapes on your bods. Also that yellow is cool, way more of a bright canary than what I use but it looks as good. Tricky or versatile is yellow, depending on one's patience.

 

The meltacide pod squad is pure awesome in the field, more so for being unique to BA.

 

Welcome back and keep em coming!

[Xenith]

Depends entirely on the basecoat.

 

Over white, black paints will struggle, and I find, wear off. I find it a lot easier to paint white over black, strangley enough.

 

That's why I generally undercoat black.

[DexC]

I find exactly the same thing. Abaddon Black has awful coverage compared to the previous black (Chaos Black?) while Mephiston Red has great coverage.

 

It's a bit of a pain when you paint at glacial speed though. I have a Dev squad that had 3.5 heavy weapon guys painted with the old paints, and trying to get a match for the fourth guy and the rest of the squad is a pain.

[Lucumon]

I've completed the terminator squad and settled my 'what-color-do-I-use-for-a-basecoat" (spoiler: black won)

Thoughts:

1. Painting with an attention seeking cat on your lap is hard. Painting with beer is better.

2. The new paints, as noted above, are A++++++++ (if you were to leave an ebay rating). The paint pots, however, F------ due to their ability to get wet paint on the outside.

3. Cutting the bolts off thunder hammers and vehicles makes painting much easier. And, seriously, in the year 40k, you'd think technology wouldn't have regressed so much.

Want to guess what is up next? (Hint: more models that look awesome/should be badass but probably wont get much playing time once I get 3 storm ravens...) Does this meet your definition of 'glacial' DexC? I started the boy in blue in 2007...

[Charlo]

Looking great Lucumon! You have inspired me as to just how cool a Melta-cide squad should look, and with myself working on two of them at the moment they definately need more BA bling!

 

Also, yellow Chainswords... Might have to nab that idea...

[Lucumon]

Dont put your coffee cup next to your water cup for the paint brushes. I found that out this past weekend.

 

So, I've decided to paint up an entire company of Blood Angels.... weathering, proper squad markings, and basing to happen after the company is complete.  And to start playing games.  I have 4 full tactical squads painted up... but with an older color scheme.  I had under coated them in white, painted them the old Blood Red, and washed them poorly.  The general color scheme would look like this: 

 

Anyway, here are the results of the past couple weeks:

 

2nd Assault Squad

Librarian

Drop Pod

Land Raider Crusader

 

Up next:

- a plasmacide assault squad

- another drop pod (this will make 3... as I have an old forgeworld one)

- Corbulo

- two tactical squads with magnetized sergeants and special/heavy weapons guys

[Arkangilos]

2nd Assault Squad, what did you do to paint it? 

[Bukimimaru]

 

Dont put your coffee cup next to your water cup for the paint brushes. I found that out this past weekend.

 

 

Every. Single. Time. -_-

[Lucumon]

2nd Assault Squad, what did you do to paint it? 

Are you talking about the red?

1. spray prime in Chaos Black.

2. Spray Mephiston Red

3. Wash with... wait for it... a mix of 1/2 Imperial Primer, 1/4 Future Floor Wax, and 1/4 water.

4. Paint Mephiston Red

5. Highlight all edges in Evil Sunz Scarlet

6. Highlight only top edges in Wild Rider Red

 

The black wash prevents them from looking too much like flames... and the Evil Sunz Scarlet and Wild Rider Red are layer paints so when they dry, it blends pretty well with the Mephiston Red base.

 

I also do this mostly with a 0 detail brush... when there are tight spacesI will use a 20/0 brush.

[Venerable Jazzman]

Nice to have you back again  ;)

[Lucumon]

It's always nice to see the old gummers still putzing around.

So I've completed a 3rd 5 man assault squad:

The plasma gunners were models I painted years ago but overpainted to get the red tone the same. In the future I plan to minimize this (as I have 3 fully painted tactical squads... I am going to paint 3 more separately from the massive amount of bitz I have...) This is my most magnetized squad: The sergeant and all backpacks can come off. This will come in handy when my painting zeal ends until the next edition where all jump pack armies rule and we can assault in turn 1 again...

I am working on the accompanying drop pod at the moment and have a thought to share on black washes: Imperial primer and future floor wax is a way better black wash than nuln oil. The floor wax pushes the paint into cracks where the nuln oil just goes with gravity and results in a model having black boots...

[Lucumon]

Did somebody call for a pickup?

I didnt realize how massive this model was... and it was really well designed. I magnetized the wings and weapons for easy transport and changes...

Also, minirant on the new paintpots: I cut off one of the ring as this is the 2nd pot of M Red where it didnt fully open and caused dried paint to get in the seal and then the top did not go on correctly. This makes it way, way easier to paint the high volume colors.

I also broke out my old Imperial Guard army (Yes, IG, not AM). 3 tanks, 2 APCs, 2 platoons, and supporting staff... I am thinking of getting some of them up to the current codex to play Allies... because who doesnt like 29 shots (most of them str 5 and rending) from a Leman Russ?

Next weekend I may actually have a battle report... going up against some sort of Dark Angels successor chapter...

[Njjesters4]

Looking really good

[Lucumon]

Hey all,

 

I finally played my first 7th Ed game!  Battle report here with pictures, explanations, and why Stormravens like Leman Russ tanks:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/305960-1850-blood-angels-vs-imperial-guard/

 

Now back to painting tactical marines...

[Lucumon]

Well, it's been a while since my last update... but, never fear, I've been a busy beaver.

First off, I am trying something I've never done before. Once I finish this 3rd (and final... well, unless I want to get a Stormwing up as well) Stormraven, I am going to try my hand at airbrushing my scouts. More to be seen once my Amazon order shows up.

I've learned something in the past few weeks: Washing once can sometimes produce dark yet visually pleasing details. If you look at the tactical marines (to include flamers, heavy flamers, and hand flamered sergeants, whom are all magnetized) you can see I panted the base color, then black washed the item.. then did nothing further. Below the Sergeant has been painted in multiple levels... while the other two are just washed.

As you can see, I've taken to just washing the details but still highlighting the black shoulder pad trim and the red on the armor. Another example:

And some contents for the 3rd Stormraven:

I also started playing with painting flesh with the new paints:

Lastly, here is the aforementioned Stormraven along with it's two almost complete buddies, along with an almost complete objective marker:

[Zeller]

Hmm, so you just apply the mephiston spray and do washes in the lines? Blood Angels were what I need today. Thank you.

[Lucumon]

How many points do objective markers count for in ETL IV?

[Leonaides]

I believe he's a captain with power fist! Ask semper maybe?

[Lucumon]

So, I've completed the 3rd Stormraven (pics in upcoming battle report) and have started my ETL IV vow. Something about being required to do something makes it really hard for me to be interested in that task. I've finished the torso of the Sanguinary Priest and should start the magnetized bits (arms & backpack) shortly. I replaced the head as none of my guys have hair... because neither do I.

Since I have a few months to finish this vow, I'd done some other work. One is a comparison of how my painting style has changed. In 2007, I made a tutorial for how I painted black (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/107399-black-tutorial/?do=findComment&comment=1229515) with the idea that dark grey was better than black when it came to highlighting models. Now, I am using more washes and wet blending techniques and came up with this (left model is the recent one):

Also... I've picked up an airbrush to see how it works... and it was fun. I'm trying to paint tactical marines of various undercoats (white, shaded, and black) and then using different shades in the airbrush before I black-line the model.

Here are some learnings:

1. Airbrushing is better than spray painting due to the lack of toxic fumes and the coats can be thinner (meaning less degradation of details)

2. It will take more time for the paint to dry... which would be fine if you are airbrushing in volume.

3. Vallejo primer is airbrush ready, no airbrush medium required (oops... note how the one on the left looks grey... I fixed it after the picture)

4. Cleaning out paint after it has dried in the airbrush is not fun.

This is what they look like after the khorne red/mephiston red overcoat:

Anyone have advice/tutorials for airbrushing Blood Angels?

[Charlo]

The black washes on the tacs look great. Really sets everything apart :)

[Lucumon]

So, I've completed my first ETL IV vow:

Not surprisingly, I have a couple thoughts:

1. Most of the gold on this model, save the right shoulder pad was simply a dark gold with a imperial black primer/future floor wax wash. I feel it is appropriately grimdark for me to paint up Sanguinary Guard this way.... the shoulder pad using highlighted gold was not as awesome.

2. The new Sanguinary Priest model is really well done... especially the legs/codpiece/robe thing.

3. What should I vow next? I have 17 more tactical marines.... so maybe I could vow a 5 man squad, then a 5 man squad, then a 5 man squad.... Or I could paint up a Sanguinary Guard squad. Or Mephiston. Hmm....

Edit: Note the lack of nipples...

[Jolemai]

Well, you've only got four vows left. Perhaps do all seventeen Tactical Marines as one vow (for example, a squad of ten and a squad of seven), and so on. Up to you really. What do you have time for?