"We Will Die on Our Feet" - ElectricPaladin's Salamanders

[ElectricPaladin]

It's no secret anymore that I will be getting the Betrayal at Calth kit, that I will be tossing in the game in a corner (perhaps I'll get some meeples for it at some point) and basically using it to jumpstart a Horus Heresy force, and that I have decided to paint them as Salamanders. It's going to be a while before I can actually make any progress, of course, but I am eagerly looking forward to it! In any case, I thought I'd go ahead and start a thread for the project.

 

At present, all I've got to post about is the models I either own or have coming to me... so here it is.

 

• 1 Box of Betrayal at Calth (including 30 marines, 5 terminators, one HQ in terminator armor, and one HQ in power/artificer armor, and one contemptor dreadnought)
• 2 more contemptor dreadnoughts (for a "full" talon!)
• 1 Heresy-era rhino
• 30 salamanders shoulder pads from Forgeworld
• 1 legion glaive special weapons tank (technically it's partly painted for my Blood Angels... but it'll fit better in 30k anyway)
• 1 storm eagle gunship (also originally acquired for my Blood Angels... but they've got a stormraven).

 

I'm excited to get started!

 

[Dosjetka]

Have you got an inspirational pictures you get your... well, inspiration from? Might give us a better idea of what you're going for.

[Noctem Cultor]

Are you going to keep the models as they are or add scale cloaks and fancy Artisan work on weapons and armour?

[Black_out]

Any particular army concept? Pre-Istvaan, post Istvaan, during Istvaan, shattered legions, etc...

 

Any fluff ideas regarding characters, units or companies?

[ElectricPaladin]

Wow! I really wasn't expecting this much - or this detailed - interest. Thanks guys. You're making me feel really good about my choice to get involved in this branch of the hobby.

 

Any particular army concept? Pre-Istvaan, post Istvaan, during Istvaan, shattered legions, etc...

Any fluff ideas regarding characters, units or companies?

 

For some reason, I have in my mind an image of a strike cruiser full of Salamanders who missed Istvaan due to some kind of screw-up or warp storm, who - isolated from the shattered command structure of their legion - have made the decision to head towards Terra and report directly to the Emperor. As they go they gather both allies - Istvaan survivors, loyalist remnants from traitor legions, perhaps even Solar Auxilia detachments - and make enemies.

 

Are you going to keep the models as they are or add scale cloaks and fancy Artisan work on weapons and armour?

 

Definitely the latter, to the extent that I'm capable.

 

Have you got an inspirational pictures you get your... well, inspiration from? Might give us a better idea of what you're going for.

 

I'm still looking - anyone who's got anything inspirational should feel free to post it.

[Black Cohort]

Definately interested to see how another Salamanders force starting largely from the same base of models and roughly the same time will progress.

[ElectricPaladin]

So, while we all wait for models to arrive… what recipes do you all use for that dark olive drab color?

[Dosjetka]

Have you seen Stoneheart's Salamanders? If not, check them out. His green recipe is on the first or second page of his thread.

[ElectricPaladin]

First actual WIP photos!

 

http://40.media.tumblr.com/cb64c065f196c730833c5341bdb3d0be/tumblr_nxkwhaIQkq1rgb5qno1_1280.jpg

 

http://40.media.tumblr.com/1b5cc41144f30a50106d648b1aeeec36/tumblr_nxkwhaIQkq1rgb5qno2_1280.jpg

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/7471abbd9af842531dac2f3dcb2e6957/tumblr_nxkwhaIQkq1rgb5qno3_1280.jpg

 

His name is Forge Lord Ankal'gahn. And yes, that's a metal techmarine, plus a plastic backpack, plus a Lizardmen shield, plus a Grey Knights sword. I'm quite proud of him.

 

And with this conversion, I have the first bit of background for my slice of the legion. These Salamanders have taken to wearing many "oaths of moment" (what will later come to be called purity seals) inscribed with the names of deceased loyalist brothers they have known in and outside the Salamanders legion - and even some chapter serfs, or the names of loyal planets razed by the traitors - which they have sworn to only remove upon their deaths, or when they have brought vengeance to the traitors.

[Black Cohort]

I think the layered look of his armour will be awesome in Salamander colours.

 

Try to get rid of that mold line on the outside of his sword and sword fist.  I know mold lines in that location can be a pain, but he will look better without it.

[KBA]

Looking forward to seeing my favorite space humanitarians done up in your take. Digging that first entry!

[Stoneheart]

Looks awesome brother, glad to see the Sallies getting some more heresy love. 

[Kor'Vesh]

Excellent conversion. This is already looking like a great project!

[BlueBelly1863]

Excited to follow another person starting Salamanders! Hope mine stack up alright once I get underway! 

[ElectricPaladin]

Thanks for the interest so far, guys. And thanks for pointing out that mold line, Black Cohort. I was able to get rid of it with a little razor scraping, and the model looks much better.

 

I'm going to get some primer on this guy today. I might end up with him painted before the rest of my 30k models even arrive!

[ElectricPaladin]

Here we go: a few WIP-nearly-done shots.

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/d4fd5b0dd0d79c18707c7a8eaba939d3/tumblr_nxqclw8Kq31rgb5qno1_1280.jpg

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/c3e5c62fab65f366bcf4ce2449ff26cf/tumblr_nxqclw8Kq31rgb5qno3_1280.jpg

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/c622d69616b84dcc93b0ed141445e894/tumblr_nxqclw8Kq31rgb5qno2_1280.jpg

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/dc7a3cb9d03831a48b468aff9753b0af/tumblr_nxqclw8Kq31rgb5qno4_1280.jpg

 

Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome.

[Black Cohort]

He looks awesome.  Maybe some more drybrushing on the sword and layered leg armour to make some of the edges stand out a bit?

[BlueBelly1863]

Looks great Electric! What made you decide on that sword color? I dig it. 

[ElectricPaladin]

I did some more work, taking the high tones up a level with another drybrush and edge highlighting. Thoughts?

 

http://40.media.tumblr.com/eb399f1eee7c234cf9f90b68e31268e4/tumblr_nxqgkzBmXw1rgb5qno1_1280.jpg

[ElectricPaladin]

Looks great Electric! What made you decide on that sword color? I dig it. 

 

Thanks! My thoughts were:

 

1. Red is nice and bright, intense, and very nearly the opposite of green, so it makes a good spot color.
2. The red-to-white shade makes them look hot, which seems thematically appropriate, what with all the melta and flame and volkite Salamanders like to throw around.

[Machine God]

I think the layered look of his armour will be awesome in Salamander colours.

 

Try to get rid of that mold line on the outside of his sword and sword fist.  I know mold lines in that location can be a pain, but he will look better without it.

 

Great model!

 

Also there is a clipper mark on the left studded Pauldron.

 

Edit: Didn't see the painted version, cannot see the clipper mark now;)

[ElectricPaladin]

The one thing that's still bothering me - aside from the question of whether or not to go all OSL on the sword - is the shield. I don't like how the color turned out; it's too much like the armor. Any recipes for getting more of a brown-green, like the way the drake-skin looks in the book?

[Black Cohort]

The one thing that's still bothering me - aside from the question of whether or not to go all OSL on the sword - is the shield. I don't like how the color turned out; it's too much like the armor. Any recipes for getting more of a brown-green, like the way the drake-skin looks in the book?

 

What if you did a medium brown base, then a heavy drybrush of a green, followed by drybrushing a lighter green?

[ElectricPaladin]

Maybe then glaze it with the green/brown wash?

[Dosjetka]

Wow! I really wasn't expecting this much - or this detailed - interest. Thanks guys. You're making me feel really good about my choice to get involved in this branch of the hobby.

For me, it was more to give you a chance to post some kind of picture. I consider it a "bad practice" of sorts to start a WIP thread with no pictures ;)