Creating a Forge World

[WarriorFish]

01100111 01110010 01100101 01100101 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 01110011 00100000 01100110 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 01110111 00100000 01100001 01100100 01100101 01110000 01110100 01110011

Time is short these days, so sadly my Knight project must remain on hold until I can get some decent free time to devote the attention she deserves. Naturally the hobby can't grind to a complete halt so I'm pinching time to do odd models and such instead and it has been a very welcome change. Having recently finished a shiny new priest model I couldn't resist getting my Skitarii on especially after I was so kindly given a couple.

I'm not yet ready to create that Skitarii infantry list I've wanted, so I'm not collecting the army properly as I've plenty of boxes that need doing first. My plan is to use the two troopers as acolytes for the moment but that does leave me with a small predicament: namely I have no Skitarii codex and have no need of one currently.

I am a long standing adept of the Omnissiah so I'm fairly well versed but given the Ad Mech have never had a codex before I'm aware that there is a good chance I'm unknowingly out of date on things, or at least missing some new stuff. I just wanted to check to see if there anything in particular I should be aware of before I create my Forge World's background? Like the rest of my armies they are firm allies with my Inquisitor Lord and Marines but I've done nothing more than that I'm only looking for a few pointers but any ideas or suggestions would be welcome too Especially as I have pretty much nothing so far, not even a name!

I'm thinking about a yellow/tan/brown colour scheme as something different for me to paint, I also think it'll look pretty cool on the models. Maybe a darker metal used, perhaps more blackish with bronze extras for the rest? Maybe a bit of red too, for example on the shoulder pads. I'm assuming there's nothing special about the guns or something I should know before brush touches paint?

Here's my first Skitarii model:

Simple yes but I think he looks cool and the kit was nice and easy to assemble too It's unfortunate I'm not too sure on the walkers, but then I did only ever have ideas of an infantry list... wait, getting ahead of myself again forget that

[jeffersonian000]

Paint them up like WWI British forces, all tans with brown leather and gray steel weapons with wooden stocks. That would look great while being different.

 

SJ

[Kilofix]

Just throwing out some considerations:

 

Is your FW going to specialize in anything in particular (whether technology types or Magos types)?

 

Is your FW close allies with any particular groups (Legios, Knight Houses, Chapters, Regiments)?

 

Was your FW with or against Horus?

 

Has your FW been on war footing lately and if so, with whom?

 

Is your FW in a more travelled sector or is it more isolated?

[WarriorFish]

Speedy replies, but then I should expect no less from the efficiency of Mars Thanks guys! As it happens I was only thinking that I was leaning more towards a brown so your idea is clearly the Omnissiah speaking to me SJ. Brilliant! Just need to muse on the exact colours and methods now

 

Regarding the FW I can answer a few of them already: could they have remained "neutral" during the Heresy (or perhaps hedging their bets...)? They are long standing trusted allies with the Inquisitor and my chapter - though the former is one with mutual benefit as the main cause (and by proxy, good relations with his personal regiments of Guard). I fancy putting them on a war footing, though not sure with who yet. They will be fairly isolationist with the exception of the Knight house they have always been linked to (fluff also pending!).

 

Regarding specialisations I'm not sure, could do with some more research on that one methinks. I think it'd made more sense if they were well rounded and provided most things but it might be cool to give them something a little special?

[CommodusXIII]

For example, my Forge World focuses on plasma reactors. Lots of plasma and melta weapons, fortifications with vent stacks, cooling towers, etc. If yours is well-rounded, maybe you're a major supplier for a local Guard regiment so you produce many different items in bulk. It's a great way to add a little flavor, even if it's purposefully vague.

 

Regarding the Heresy, the Mechanicus is very insular, even isolated, compared to the rest of the Imperium. Your Forge World could have been a neutral enclave, or maybe their stance is kept a well-guarded secret. Maybe it was even "lost to time".

Edited January 11, 2016 by CommodusXIII

[WarriorFish]

Since they provide both chapter and Guard I think it's probably best to make them no particular specialist, but a good all rounded. I'm thinking that their history in the Heresy is a bit dubious. Something like they claim to have been unaware and thus remained "neutral" and it's believable enough due to their isolation but not enough that there isn't still some suspicion and words over it. Which in turn leads them to a relationship with a certain Inquisitor Lord who can help smooth things over for them.

[jeffersonian000]

For Brown Coats, I see their Forge World as very Victorian, a steampunk world of soot spuing chimnies painting the sky in perpetual twight, coal furnances powering the world industry. Everyone wears goggles and gasmasks, oilcloth rain coats, and clunk around with clockwork prosthetics. Their flyers are a cross between zepplins and ironclade battleships. I would call their world Invicta, the Unconquerable.

 

SJ

[WarriorFish]

I was thinking of making them a bit Victorian as I passed HMS Warrior, though not with steampunk as that's played out So that's twice now SJ, I'm afraid I might have to execute you for witchery if this carries on

 

I'll give it some more thought and schedule in a bit of reading but I must admit to being pulled very strongly towards painting the model up, so I hope to get some basic work done next week I'm busy this week plus I need to settle on the finer details of the colour scheme so maybe I can be good and scribble a basic start down. Really appreciate all the help

[Kilofix]

I think the other important thing is you need to pick what color (isotope?) of radiation....

 

Edit - actually Fluorescence is probably the better term as radiation itself doesn't have a color. Unless:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherenkov_radiation

 

Hence, mine is blue,.... which, though typical, goes nicely with Ryza Orange.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Kilofix

[jeffersonian000]

The color is based on the gas that is used for the plasma. Nyon is red, Argon is purple, Oxygen is white, etc.,

 

SJ

[WarriorFish]

This would be for their gun coil bits right? Does it need to be glowing or anything or just the colour? What choice of gases/colours do we have, though I like the sound of purple.

[jeffersonian000]

Here's good article on the colors of different gases when ionized into a plasma:

 

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sdb229/Plasma%20ball%20colors.html

 

SJ

[CommodusXIII]

I think the other important thing is you need to pick what color (isotope?) of radiation....

 

Edit - actually Fluorescence is probably the better term as radiation itself doesn't have a color. Unless:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherenkov_radiation

 

Hence, mine is blue,.... which, though typical, goes nicely with Ryza Orange.

 

This is exactly why I went with blue myself.

[WarriorFish]

I have plenty of blue plasma elsewhere so it might be nice to do something different. However no rush to decide just yet, I've only got a couple of ordinary Vanguard models

 

I'll try and get my reading done and come back with some basic background blocks and you can let me know if it's any good. Hopefully get some early stages of painting done next week

[WarriorFish]

Finally got round to a priming session, my first Skitarii is ready for paint:

I think I've settled on the colour scheme, just need to pick the particular colours and methods I'll use Thanks for al the advice so far, has been very useful :)

[WarriorFish]

Bit of painting done tonight, I can't seem to settle on a particular project but at least I'm making some progress with my time:

Unfortunately painting at night means pretty poor pictures of progress at the end of it but you can see the main bits. Baneblade Brown proved to be the colour I was searching for and a few coats of Nuln Oil have created a nice dark metallic (picture makes it look shinier than it is). Bit on bronze on the tubes and dark grey leggings and he's coming together

Not sure on the Agrax wash on the overcoat, doesn't really have the contours for it but I can always repaint it if it doesn't work. Gun is a mix of the metal colours including the bronzes but I'm not sure on that yet so it might get repainted. Got an idea for some colour on him but I'll need daylight for that so Sunday at the earliest for that question.

Glad I made the time for him tonight (I should really paint some models I need for my next game...), I think he looks good so once I finalise the colour scheme and implement it on my second Vanguard perhaps a Skitarii box might find its way into my collection sooner than I had thought!

[WarriorFish]

I finished him tonight! Couldn't resist, though in the future I'll be sure to leave the more detailed stuff to better daylight:

Very pleased with how the colour scheme came out The basing scheme is the same as all my Imperial armies save for the dead grass I hooked out - made more sense on a Vanguard! I may go back and change/update a few things in the future but the scheme is otherwise set. I'm sorely tempted to add a box of Skitarii to my upcoming order, guess there's no rest for the wicked!

I've been working on the background a bit too, but it's not quite ready for review. When I've done some more I'll put it up for some final tweaks

[Arkaniss]

I like it! As you say could do with a bit of tidying up with better daylight but the general scheme is set. Looks good, I like the muted colours - would be nice to see more of them together for the full effect though ;)

[WarriorFish]

Thanks The Omnissiah speaks to me so I'll grab a box or two for a small Skitarii force perhaps later in the year Not particularly interested in the vehicles (oddly, in many ways) so it'll just be a small infantry list to ally in. At least that's the plan...

[Arkaniss]

Go look in the local GW and see if you can find some of their vehicles assembled and painted. You might like them, I find it very common to dislike a vehicle/unit from pictures online and have a completely different opinion after seeing them in person.

[CommodusXIII]

I'm the same way - I really enjoy the Skitarii Vanguard/Rangers, but the Ironstriders don't appeal to me.  The Onager grew on me a bit, with some major modifications.  Your color scheme is coming along very nicely!

Edited February 10, 2016 by CommodusXIII

[WarriorFish]

I've never seen them in person, don't think GW has any on show either but it's more than just how they look. The striders are expensive and have a huge footprint for what appears to more or less be glorified Sentinels, the crab tank I like more, but again big foot print. I'll start off with infantry anyway so there's plenty of time for me to look into them and perhaps change my mind :)

[Kilofix]

Let us know if you want more photos, size comparison, specific angles, sprue pics, etc.

[WarriorFish]

That would help :) I don't have much detailed knowledge on the particulars of the AdMech units, but the striders seem to be too expensive - £30 for one and they're relatively cheap on table top? I'd be much more inclined to get a Dunecrawler, so this is tempting. I thought the Dominus wasn't in the Skitarii codex though?

[Kilofix]

It comes with a special formation that includes the Dom.

 

The Striders are expensive cost wise and are a real pain to put together, but on table top they can put out a large number of wounds in close combat for their points.