Deathrays and Bolters - My Mechanicum and Sons of Horus Blog

[retrovertigo]

I've been a lurker on this forum for years without really getting involved, so thought I'd say hello and start a thread of my obsession with the Horus Heresy and Warhammer 30k. Currently I'm working on a Mechanicum army, and I have a Sons of Horus army that is on hold at the moment but is getting reactivated shortly for some additions. I'm considering a third army but I'm finding it very hard to settle on what it would be so it could take a while to settle on something.

 

I'll start off with some pictures of how my army currently stands, and what I'm working on or have in the works for it.

 

The idea behind the army is a forgeworld loyal to the Emperor who have mobilised for war against Horus, raising armies from all strands of the Mechanicum. I swap around the units and Magos to use them as Ordo Reductor or Legio Cybernetica as the whim takes me. LC have been getting more love recently with an influx of new Martian robots but I hope to add some more Reductor themed units shortly too.

 

N.B Everything needs battle damaged and some details doing, but I'm an impatient soul so I like to get gaming ASAP.

 

Magos I use for LC riding around on an Abeyant. Legio Cybernetica robot shepherd.

 

This is something I painted for a 40k Admech force and ported it over to 30k and I love the model. Another Magos but this guy is used as an Arch Magos Prime Ordinator or Ordo Reductor Arch Magos as the mood takes me.

 

Another 40k transfer, this time a Legio Cybernetica techpriest and Castellax custodian. Use this guy almost every game as a cheap Dominus to escort my Castellax mob. Cyber Occularis I made next to him for the guy above - just the skull-stalk off the Abeyant. Need a few more but going to vary their appearance.

 

Two troops of Thallax armed with Plasma Fusils - death from above!

 

Close quarter configured Castellax maniple - pintle multimeltas, eBay Russian replacement heads, 40k Centurion seige drills (seige wreckers) and palm mounted flamers. Used the plastic kits purely for budget reasons to get the army off the ground. I already had the kit and heads so made sense.

 

Anti-armour configured Castellax maniple - Mr Blobby Kastelans, IG lascannons chopped up with Kataphron weapon parts to make homebrew Darkfire cannons. These guys were already painted the stock red scheme for 40k, so gave them a repaint for 30k. Visors need glossed.

 

Tech-priest Auxilia with servo-automata - old metal models with the heavy bolters removed and Kataphron claws added where needed. I want to weaponise them but undecided what to give them.

 

Myrmidon Destructor triumverate with Grav Imploders - Kataphron servitor weapons with little alteration. I want a second trio with Conversion Beamers, and will have another trio with Volkites shortly to make for three different squads.

 

Vorax maniple. Again I want more of these guys. Eyes need finished on them and some other bits.

 

Krios Venator. The dish bit of the weapon is so warped I couldn't fit the muzzle guard which is a bummer. Not brave enough to attempt OSL on the gun but would like to.

[RedInventor]

Your army is looking great so far, I habe been trying to figure out a way to do the 30k vs 40k crossover and you pulled it off brilliantly. Keep up the good work!

[retrovertigo]

Thanatar Seige automata with Plasma Helix Mortar. One of my all time favourite models. I want a Calix purely for the model, optimised lists be damned. Another model I want to OSL the gun on, but too scared.




Indentured Knight Paladin of House Taranis of Mars. This was a birthday present from my 1yr old daughter and I love it, not the best way to spend the points but so what? It's been brilliant in almost every game, gutting Falchions and Spartans for LOLZ.



Today I finished another three Castellax, FW models this time but all three were eBay rescues so are a little rough around the edges. Look decent enough painted though.

 

 

And an almost complete army shot...



Now onto my WIPs...

Macrocarid Explorator. This was virtually done minus damage and some lights and stuff, but the iradiation engines I had bashed together for the sponsons were too fragile so I got a pair of Myrmidon Destructor examples to paint and glue on instead. It's an old Rogue Trader Land Raider with some details added and I made an engine block for the rear from the comms array of a Bastion kit. Grav Imploder plus the two torrent death rays is just utter dirt! This is my Destructor Taxi.

 

 

That sponson weapon was just pulled off one of my Destructors and glued straight on, the otherside is just primed black at the moment so both need a spot of paint.

 

Another two Techpriests - Squat is likely to end up as another Techpriest Adept, where as the plastic kitbash will be a Fleshsmith to go with my forthcoming Thralls once I put it on a smaller base.

 

Because you can never have enough Tech Priests, here's another one.

 

 

It's the new plastic Enginseer model with the skull face from the FW Arch Magos kit with an extra servo arm. This one and the floating creep above will both get a slightly darker paint job as they'll both be fleshsmiths to accompany my Thralls. The idea of techno necromancer seems fitting enough for these two I think.

Void shield generator. I wouldn't even consider this for my Sons of Horus, but it screams Mechanicum so when I run the Cybernetica version of my army I'll use this sometimes esp when facing my friends Falchion or Warhound.



Some cheapo Tech Thralls proxies. Got 20 of these Skitarii off eBay, plus 10 I already had stashed. Headswaps for the Vanguard helmet (way cooler), shortened the lasmusket so it looked more brutish, removed all the purity seals, goofy aerials, and incense burners from the backpacks.


 

Aaaaaaaaand painted!

 

I flirted with using them as a Techguard allied force using the Militia book but I'm going to stick with them as Thralls until GW/FW make it clear how the Skitarii will eventually fit into the 30k army lists. Another 20 are in the offing.

 

I made this guy to use an HQ for the Militia idea, but probs won't use him now which is a shame. Genestealer Prime from Deathwatch converted.

 

I've still got a few painted units from 40k Admech sitting doing nothing, and so stole this idea from someone else of using the Kataphon servitors as Myrmindon Destructors.

 

They're already painted so seems rude not too. Two more Volkite Culverins are on the way so should have these on bases and being used soon.

 

Second last is a Domitar I got off eBay for a ridonk bargain price. Need another two now.

 

Aaaaaaaaaand lastly I went to Warhammer World at the weekend and treated myself to two things I've been looking forward to for a while - a Triaros Armoured Converyor, and eight Scyllax Automata.

 

 

Scyllax will be getting Rotor Cannons and death rays.

 

 

Your army is looking great so far, I habe been trying to figure out a way to do the 30k vs 40k crossover and you pulled it off brilliantly. Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks! Yeah I get really stressed by it as a lot of the 40k models don't have obvious uses in 30k, so I'm trying to just keep the base size the same and the main weapons 30k (like the Kataphons) so they're clear what they are.

[Doctor Perils]

Very good looking Mechanicum !

I actually prefer your version of the Krios Venator :)

Is that the original Land Raider ?

And you have a Squat ?

Love the black scheme on the Skitarii, pulled off beautifully!

But yeah, seeing the quality of your work so far, I'm looking forwards to seeing the rest painted up :)

[retrovertigo]

Very good looking Mechanicum !

I actually prefer your version of the Krios Venator

Is that the original Land Raider ?

And you have a Squat ?

Love the black scheme on the Skitarii, pulled off beautifully!

But yeah, seeing the quality of your work so far, I'm looking forwards to seeing the rest painted up

Hey thanks dude. Yeah it's an original Rogue Trader era model. I got it ages ago off Facebook without the lascannon sponsons. I was going to use it for my Sons of Horus army but never got round to finding new lascannons for it. As there was no Explorator model when I started the army, and it used to be called the Mechanicum Landraider (essentially a pimped Proteus) then this seemed a good use for it. I've had to add on some little vents, grab handles and comms stuff as the old model is VERY absent of details compared to even contemporary GW plastic kits nevermind the FW vehicles.

It is a small tank compared to modern models, so I bulked out the rear of it by making an engine block sort of thing. Looks alright.

The Squat was an impulse eBay buy, that I then followed up with another impulse buy of another 20 metal vintage squats and the Militia book from FW. We'll see on that one. It wouldn't be a cheap project.

[Major_Gilbear]

Fantastic work - if your Mechanicus are this good, then I cannot wait for your SoH! :D

[Brother Desultor]

Inspirational

[retrovertigo]

Well I thought I should post some pics of my Sons of Horus army, I think it's an incomplete set so I'll try and take a few extra soon.

 

Anyway this is the force I've put together since the Calth box came out. Dread to think how much money I've got in this army in such a short period...

 

First up is my Legion Terminator squad. i regret giving them a single claw but Rule of Cool won when I made them!

 

Veteran tactical squad - need to do a couple more with the recent points drop and new veteran tactics.

 

Mortis contemptor - just added resin assault cannon and missile system from FW to the plastic mono-pose model.

 

 

Laser Vindicator

 

 

With the Vet squads Rhino

 

Reaver squad I've since reverted back to regular backpacks - four powerfists in a squad of ten is reasonable yeah?

 

With a 1st Company Chaplain I did to accompany them

 

Abaddon. Was the roughest eBay rescue model I've had to deal with, I think the previous owner had tried to clean the release agent off with wire wool as the face is pretty gnarly.

 

My usual troop choices - two squads of Justaerin in Dreadclaws. Brutal deluxe.

 

Kitbashed from a load of Justaerin bits I got in an eBay bargain lot, and combined with normal plastic legs and stuff  hence the lack of helmets. But WAY cheaper than FW.

 

Simple 1st Company Praetor conversion from the Calth chaplain model.

 

My Maloghurst the Twisted conversion. Combined bits of the command set swapping the banner from the left hand of the original model to the right hand of this one.

 

Master of Signal using an old finecast 40K Space Marine Master of Somethingorother

 

Siege Breaker/Centurion model using the Iron Warriors Event Only mini with some simple changes.

 

Sicaran

 

Ended up dumping the Heavy Bolters for Lascannons.

 

Fellblade that I've now sold sadly.

 

 

Landspeeder. Nothing too flash.

 

Outrider squad lightly converted from Chaos SM bikes by removing spikes and Chaos stars.

 

Deredeo dreadnought.

 

Leviathan Death Machine. This has a pod to go in too for added murdering.

 

Horus is also done but not pictured, plus a Spartan and a couple of Dreadclaws.

 

Next I want to add some more standard troops choices as running two Justaerin squads can be quite restrictive with the rest of teh army choices.

 

[Rangaman]

Wow I really like your Mechanicum but I am an even bigger fan of your Sons of Horus! Keen to see more mate!

[sheep]

Holy :cuss, what a smorgasbord of amazingness!

[Major_Gilbear]

Really great work there on those Sons of Horus - thank you for sharing them! :D

 

May I ask which green you used please? This seems to be a tricky issue for many painting SoH, and I do like the colour you've achieved.

 

If I had one comment/suggestion it would be that the big Legion transfers on the vehicles look a bit silvered - maybe applying some gloss varnish with a brush first, and then a matte varnish afterwards, would help there?

[retrovertigo]

Really great work there on those Sons of Horus - thank you for sharing them!

May I ask which green you used please? This seems to be a tricky issue for many painting SoH, and I do like the colour you've achieved.

If I had one comment/suggestion it would be that the big Legion transfers on the vehicles look a bit silvered - maybe applying some gloss varnish with a brush first, and then a matte varnish afterwards, would help there?

Yeah the decal on the side of the Rhino is very silvered. It's off the old decal sheet and they all did that and that was the only one I couldn't remove so I'm stuck with it. Had this issue on the Reavers pads too so ended up pulling them off and repainting resin ones instead. I just got the new sheet at the weekend as otherwise nothng but the Rhino and the stripes on the back of the Vindicator has decals on for the Sons. That old sheet seemingly was notorious for how thick the decals were, in my opinion it was utter garbage and I threw it in the bin.

Paint wise it's really easy if you airbrush. I just prime black, then do a pretty heavy first coat of Lupercal Green leaving some black showing through towards the bottom and in the shadows. Then a lighter, more careful shaded highlight with Sons of Horus Green over that. Finally I do a very very light final highlight right on the top areas, with Sons of Horus Green mixed with Vallejo Pastel Green (I think). Both the first two colours are just Forgeworld colours so it's easy peasy.

[Major_Gilbear]

With regard to the decal, I think it can still be fixed! I seem to remember trick where you use a sharp pin/needle to prick the decal film of the transfer and then re-apply Microsol to get the decal to conform better... might be worth a try?

 

And thank you for the run-down on the green - I suspected it was the FW paints, but wasn't sure. Do you find the sea colours tend more towards blue or green? It does look more green in your photos, but some I've seen look more blue/turquoise. :)

[Skinrider]

wow! The Sons of Horus were great, but that mechanicum color scheme is absolutely beautiful. I'll keep an eye on this

[m0nolith]

Good googley moogley

Thats beautiful!

[retrovertigo]

Thanks dudes

With regard to the decal, I think it can still be fixed! I seem to remember trick where you use a sharp pin/needle to prick the decal film of the transfer and then re-apply Microsol to get the decal to conform better... might be worth a try?

And thank you for the run-down on the green - I suspected it was the FW paints, but wasn't sure. Do you find the sea colours tend more towards blue or green? It does look more green in your photos, but some I've seen look more blue/turquoise.

I actually think without the final Vallejo mixed highlight, it can look a little grey? Hard to explain. I think it's the effect of putting the green over the black. What I like is how dark it looks even with the brightest highlight. Which is how I imagine the Sons looking post-Istvaan. In the big books it describes the colour of their armour darkening as the Heresy progressed, so rather than the bright sea green they start with, mine look like they're now up to their eyes in it

Decided to start on some extra stuff for the souless minions of Mars. Mainly as I just built Glottkin and don't even know where to start with that paintjob

Thats some chunky ol lumps of resin. Loving the lack of complexity though with this kit

[Flint13]

Everything is looking great man!

 

I love all the conversions and work you put into your mechanicum and your Sons of Horus vets are top notch.

[KrautScientist]

An absolutely amazing thread all around! I love the way you have repurposed 40k models for your Mechanicum forces (as I have always felt that, with a faction as mysterious and inherently quirky as the Mechanicum/AdMech, there should be far more overlap and hybridisation of technology). The Sons of Horus are just as cool, though, with one of the best SoH greens I have ever seen!

 

Regarding the lack of helmets on your Justaerin, if you ever find yourself in need of some Justaerin helmets again, it's really easy to just shlightly shave down plastic Betrayal of Calth Mk 4 helmets, add a chaos warrior (or ork) topknot and end up with a convincing Justaerin helmet.

 

Anyway, more updates please! This is getting good... ;)

[retrovertigo]

Ah good call on the helmets, I got a batch of bits off eBay for a bargain and managed to turn them into 10 terminators with plastic parts and brass. 

 

Almost done with the Triaros. I need to bite the bullet and get my Mechanicum weathered up a bit though as they look quite pristine!

 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Just stumbled onto this thread, and you've done some incredible work here. These are some of the best Mechanicum I've seen!

[retrovertigo]

Thanks!

Thought I'd update with some more pics of the Sons of Horus. Sadly only taken these photos as I've decided to sell the army.

Rare whole army shot

Horus.

Spartan

Dreadnought gang

Dreadclaws - what a pig to assemble!

[KrautScientist]

The army pictures are brilliant, but that's sad news, nonetheless...

[lionofjudah]

Brilliant army and hope you're reinvesting in heresy goodies:)

[Major_Gilbear]

Thought I'd update with some more pics of the Sons of Horus.

 

Looks fantastic - well done! :D

 

 

Sadly only taken these photos as I've decided to sell the army.

 

That's a shame, as I haven't seen many SoH armies done to this consistency or standard. :(