Mechanist's Plog, Chaos Knights (yes Plural)

[KrautScientist]

I was originally going to suggest you finally start painting the darn thing, but then you go and add another layer of detail that adds to the model's background and narrative -- damn you! ;)

 

Seriously, though: It's clear that you want this to be special, and it shows. I'll still say it's important to not miss that sweet spot where the conversion is really finished and start the painting process -- trust me, I regularly end up with models that stay unpainted for years while I tweak and fiddle on them, and yet to actually take something to the finishing line can be such a rewarding feeling ;)

 

Anyway, always looking forward to seeing the big guy, so keep this coming! :)

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

I agree with Kraut! I'd have probably called this done a while ago, but you keep making cool additions! Can't wait to see this thing painted up and ready for war!

[Mechanist]

I was originally going to suggest you finally start painting the darn thing, but then you go and add another layer of detail that adds to the model's background and narrative -- damn you!

 

Seriously, though: It's clear that you want this to be special, and it shows. I'll still say it's important to not miss that sweet spot where the conversion is really finished and start the painting process -- trust me, I regularly end up with models that stay unpainted for years while I tweak and fiddle on them, and yet to actually take something to the finishing line can be such a rewarding feeling

 

Anyway, always looking forward to seeing the big guy, so keep this coming!

Haha, I'd not shown many photos of the legs as they where a bit of a mess of part conversion and bit's of rough greenstuff. And with all the work into the torso I can't go leaving the leg armour stock, it was pointed out earlier that I needed to make sure that the legs didn't look to small compared to the additional bulk of the torso as well. The frist work on the right leg managed this just fine and beyond some blending I've not changed the thigh and am jut cleaing up the ankles and toes. The left leg needed to be more mechanical so the new thigh shield adds the bulk and is now finished, this afternoon I;m going to mix a little batch and work on the shine and Knee plates.

 

I agree with Kraut! I'd have probably called this done a while ago, but you keep making cool additions! Can't wait to see this thing painted up and ready for war!

The problem with going to town on half the model is that any area that you don't is going to look out of place. I made a bit of a rod for my own back with this especially as the other full Daemon Knights will have to have the same care and attention if they are going to stand out. I do intend to hold back on the non daemonic Knights. If I can finish the build of the body this week I may get the arms done next, that way I'll be looking at pilots for some of the others while of over the holidays.

[Mechanist]

well I need to write another 200-400 words before Tea but during a period of clearing my head I can formally say that I've finished all of the armour plates that will be painted separately. I have progressed yesterday fleshing out the remaining shapes and bits for the legs and the crotch piece still has some work to do. Now if I can just get this first section of the assignment finished I should be able to crack on with the middle much smoother.

[Mechanist]

So the assignment has now broken the 2k words mark and I have over 24 hours left which is good going for me.

Last night I put the bits together for another photo shoot.

A little while back Biohazard raised concerns about being top heavy (over 2 years ago on page 7 wow time has passed). This should give a fairly solid idea of the bulk the legs will have. Some perspective warping occurs but over all I'm satisfied that I've avoided the worries about missing leg day.

Today between writing as mentioned above have now finished the Thigh plate and Knee pad.

and both shin armour plates

What's even better is that after Augs shared some new pictures of his updated OOP metal Bloodthirster the Hooves filled in the gaps in my brain about how to approach the left leg. Instead of stalling I've added a couple of stages of green stuff to detail the foot. The leg also has the sinews textured and is just about ready for the final layer of smoothed greenstuff 'flesh'

so I think that maybe 3 greenstuff sessions to do the leg fully then it's back up to the crotch and minor tail tweaks.

After that it seems fitting that I work on the right leg as it's where I started this whole beast before I'm basically done on the main body.

Listed like that is doesn't seem like much, the trickiest part at that stage will be finishing the carapace as it is currently missing some bits including the tilting shield but even that's just 2-3 mixes of greenstuff.

Both arms then need some work, at the moment they have some very rough greenstuff shapes and are missing a few bits so we'll see about that when I get there...

[Pandoras Bitz Box]

It's looking real nice, looking forward to seeing the other bit of green stuff develope.

 

Man, 2 years, I had no idea how long this project had been running. Good effort on this final push. I can sympathise with the top heavy issue. My doesn't have as much work and material on top but the offset, running one leg does have a lot of pressure on it and I had to run a few pins through it.

 

This is going to look great on the table top.

[Mechanist]

It's looking real nice, looking forward to seeing the other bit of green stuff develope.

Man, 2 years, I had no idea how long this project had been running. Good effort on this final push. I can sympathise with the top heavy issue. My doesn't have as much work and material on top but the offset, running one leg does have a lot of pressure on it and I had to run a few pins through it.

This is going to look great on the table top.

Thank you I started autumn 2015.... I even had the original pose as a running one but it changed to work more with the quantity of additions. One day I'll do another running one.

Hidden Content

[Mechanist]

So I've mostly been lurking on the forums with the odd post on others work here and there. However That doesn't mean I've done nothing hobby wise for the last 3 months. I actually finished the assignment with a few hours to spare which will be only the second time on this distance learn course where I haven't needed an extension.

After that I wanted to chill a bit and so grabbed the paintbrush and in the run up to Christmas spent more time finishing my part done Necron warriors and Scarabs.

I now have 3 full units of scarabs and even managed a game where some shenanigans using them to block a space wolf charge lead to a solid victory.

Thanks to the latest chapter approved I also needed to fill out my force a little bit, 2 proxy Immortals and a proxy Spyder and the 4 unfinished warrior leg on bases allowed me to play the game a 1k game.

Now it was a really fun game and the Spyder did really well so I let myself follow the hobby butterfly and my desk soon looked like this.

Also out of focus in the background are the hero models for the D&D game I started at the beginning of the year along with a bunch of scratch built Blights which have also eaten into my hobby time.

The Spyder was really nice to paint and came along nice and quickly

and has since been finished ready for a decorative base along with fully finishing the warriors though they all got packed out of the way before photos.

With the Spyder done I just need to get a pair of immortals assembled and painted up, but why only do two when they come in boxes of five?

Currently my desk looks a bit like this,

When I grabbed the sprues out of the loft I got all of them out and took a bit of time to also assemble a unit of deathmarks. This weekend I managed to get those sprayed and the Immortals have had a couple more layers completed.

Tonight I'm heading back into the loft for a batch of models. Firstly I'm going to grab an Overlord to round out to 1250 points. At the same time I'm going to grab the Triarch Stalker and Praetorians so that I can get to a fully painted 1500 points.

I'm also going to grab the land raider I brought and never finished nearly 20 years ago, my unit of Khornate possessed and an old semi daemonic Khorate lord. Along with the blood warriors from the old AOS starter box, then it'll be time to prep for the ETL which will hopefully give me the land raider as a good trial run for the call of chaos....

I also have another assignment due and a load of lectures to watch and paint/sculpt along too so time to get busy so wish me luck.

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

Hey you sneaky lot! Wuz wif dem shooty ladz and no spikey ladz?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Well done.

[Mechanist]

Well done.

Thank you. I'll get some more photos of the finished Crons tonight so people can see the Spyder

Hey you sneaky lot! Wuz wif dem shooty ladz and no spikey ladz?

Well the spikey lads where got out of the loft last night, built around 20 years ago i never got round to painting the backpacks

Now battered and with weapons missing they have had their metal parts separated and dropped into nail varnish remover and the plastic is now all in the Dettol.

Inspired by some old pictures in the 2nd ed codes I'm going to try and get a similar look but with more modern kits for the bodies starting with the blood warriors mentioned above and my improved sculpting skills.

Tonight I need to clean off the paint and then get the land raider bits dunked.

[Mechanist]

So the Necrons are having their bases finished up ready to glue the models down and then sort out the glow. Nearly done on that and I'll have to do the 1k photo shoot soon as they are finished.

Currently I've been building a possessed in an evening when I get chance. the first 3 are finished and I have photos.

1st possessed is a bit of a poser but I think worked well as a proof of concept showing that my old school conversion (3rd ed codex not 2nd) can be updated to more modern kit's and poses.

as the mono pose blood warriors have pauldrons I ended up just taking the torso out on the first one and using a Bezerer one which I think fit's quite well.

For the second one I'm super happy, adding the extra height so he's using a corpse to leap You can clearly see someone is in for a bad day.

The pauldron work on this guy was less of an issue so I could keep the blood warrior torso including belly fangs.

Though looking at the photos I may just pop the head off and take a few mill off the neck to help his eye level look more in keeping with a standing target.

It's very tempting to put a kneeling Breacher Marine together and make a little duel scene.

The last one a bit more basic pose wise though the legs that originally had one leg up on a lump of stone has addapted really well to a running pose.

The trickiest thing is finding the right lower legs for the job, I've been keeping the blood warrior Kneepads as best I can to make both a good cutting line and enable a consistent leg length.

I have plans to use at least one set of possessed legs and depending on how the last 2 blood warriors pan out I may grab the dremmal and sculpt on some Knee Armour to the grieves. I'll look at it when I come to fill in all the gaps and clean up round the joins.

and the three of them together

along with the 1st next to a Primaris for scale.

I currently manage to to make one an evening when I sit down to do so and maybe do that twice a week. Should be good to get the full squad plus matching Greater possessed for my first ETL vow.

The big question is if I'll get their landraider ride buit and ready to vow, I did get the old painted bit's into dettol last night so I'll clean that up later if I get chance.

So wish me luck and let me know what you think.

[Mechanist]

This weekend gone I had a friend down from Nottingham, we spent most of Saturday catching up and chatting but did manage to fit a game of 40k in.
Running 1k of Necrons this made the first time in nearly 30 years I've played a game with a fully painted army.
It also gave me the chance for some photos.
Firstly a snap of the Spyder all finished

I will at some point look at a fully decorated base for it, but first I'd like to reach the 1500pt mark.

I also took a full army photo,

I've also finished the full 8 Possessed and started work on the Greater possessed. I'll get those photos shared on the next post.

[BrotherEndcat]

This is one damn beautiful thread, love all the work you've done mate. Can't wait to see more and more.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job on the Necrons.

[Mechanist]

This is one damn beautiful thread, love all the work you've done mate. Can't wait to see more and more.

Thank you. I'm hoping to shift gears over to Chaose fully in time for the ETL and should have a fair bit more, I do need to get the Warframe bug out of my system though as I keep getting distracted by it.

Good job on the Necrons.

Thank you. I Have 5 Deathmarks and an Overlord on my desk at the moment and am moving into the purple bits when i feel like picking a brush up for a few mins.

As for my Chaos I had the next 3 Possessed on the worktop shortly after the first 3.

The Guy in the middle was started but I actually overtook him with the 4th one finished who used the final Blood warrior bits.

Some Mark 3 Legs helped to fill out the squad, he's a touch shorter than the others but a buckle from the old Berserkers and a spare torso from the chaos chosen helped keep the bulk.

As I was out of blood warriors I knew that I wanted to use the possessed 'goat' legs and with a Bezerker Torso I hope he stands up alongside the more detailed bloodwarrior bits.

The last guy I have for today was actually the trickiest to get his feet lined up. I probably should have cut the foot out completely to allow for a better ankle position, his kneecaps had to be removed from the leg between the WIP above and this state. Hopefully the bit of masonry on the base works to explain the angle of the foot as this can be difficult taking the various different blood warrior poses and matching them to the power armored feet and calves.

I have also built number 8 and begun turning khorgos khul into a greater possessed. The thing is that mounting them all in a land raider feels wrong as it makes 9 guys running round together would it make more sense to have a unit of 7 possessed with the greater possessed acting like a single unit or a blessed 8 man squad and the Greater possessed as a character on the side?

[hushrong]

The possessed are appropriately creepy and awesome!

[Mechanist]

The possessed are appropriately creepy and awesome!

Thank you it's been fun updating a conversion from nearly 20 years ago to something more modern. I need to get the green stuff out and get them tidied up.

[hushrong]

I'm loving the mix of bits going into them. New and older plastics with the old school cool bloodletter heads just make for an enjoyable conversion. And it's awesome you are revamping one of your older builds too!

[Mechanist]

I'm loving the mix of bits going into them. New and older plastics with the old school cool bloodletter heads just make for an enjoyable conversion. And it's awesome you are revamping one of your older builds too!

Thank you. They are on hold a little bit at the moment because Uni work and Job have been swamping me I've not had the time to get the sculpting done before the ETL starts.

Instead I'm going for some easy builds in the ETL and planning to use some new contrast.

So lets do this.

I, Mechanist, rise to the challenge of the E TENEBRAE LUX in the name of the Warmaster Abbadon The despoiler, vow to complete the following units worth a total of 562 points before the First of September. Success will grant me the favor of the Warmaster, while Failure will condemn me to the Badge of the Oathbreaker.

Death to the false Emperor

1 Heldrake with Bale Flamer

1 unit of 10 Chaos space marines

Including

Champion with plasma pistol and Power claw

Plasma Gun

Auto Cannon

3 with Bolters

4 with Bolt pistol/CCW

2 Obliterators.

[hushrong]

Sweet! I am looking forward to seeing you take on the ETL for the Black Legion!

 

Any ideas formulated on what contrasts you will be using? I saw on GW's site they had a neat way of showing a final product and what contrasts were used for it.

[Mechanist]

Sweet! I am looking forward to seeing you take on the ETL for the Black Legion!

 

Any ideas formulated on what contrasts you will be using? I saw on GW's site they had a neat way of showing a final product and what contrasts were used for it.

I'm looking at playing with 'Black Templar' for the armour panels, I think I should be able to spray the modle black with a zenthial highlight of grey and maybe even a little burst of white then let the Contrast basically do the work for me and save the need for edge highlight. After that paint the trim and details traditionally and when washing the silver and golds do a recess wash on the panels to make sure it look black.

[hushrong]

I'm looking forward to seeing how it comes out. I primed most of my BL black so I don't think contrast will do much. I hadn't thought of a zenithal spray of grey & white and that is an awesome idea. Definitely want to see how it comes out and take some notes.

[Mechanist]

Thank you, I've had a slight play and will have more pics and comments later once I've worked on some larger areas, currently the contrast effect seams to be a good guide for more traditional shading and highlights and a 50/50 mix of Mechanicus standard grey and Abaddon black is a good place to start when I'm tidying up the highlights on the effect.

I'll start though with the photos I have, first up I needed to fix the champion's load out from the stock shadowspear.

A spare Chosen power fist from my previous conversions and an old Khorne Berserker plasma pistol soon fixed him up a treat beconing his squad mates forward with the light of his pistol's coils.

After that I glued everything that won;t get in the way for painting together and also lightly tacked the rest together and primed the Shadowspear models.

I used a three part zenthial on these starting with my halford's Black then the halford's grey and lastly grey sear from the top.

There is some nice shadow on these even if the grey mid colour went on a little speckled, like with the Contrast paint much of this will be a guide for actual layers and recess washes.

it worked out nicely on the Oblits as well.

I picked up Skeleton Hoard today as well so I'm hoping for a quick way to do all the little teeth across the models though I may wish I'd chosen darker.

I need to get the two Oblit's helmets done that way I can better glue them fully together and get cracking properly.

[ElDuderino]

...beconing his squad mates forward with the light of his pistol's coils.

 

 

:)

 

Great work on the possessed, nice to see the old bloodletters getting some love!