Jabberwocky Rises: Neurolictor Conversions

[Xenith]

Now the #Calltoarms and A Bugs Life 2023 have been announced, I have to start planning and building Nids!

 

I want to vow at least the Leviathan set, then also incorporate my 2023 Nid goals:

 

On 1/9/2023 at 11:44 AM, Xenith said:

What I'd really like to get done:

170pts - Maleceptor

230pts - Flyrant

180pts - 6 more warriors, magnetised

120pts - Genestealer Patriarch

160pts - 20 Hormagaunts

125 - Carnifex

 

30 models and 985pts in total.

 

I've also been slowly amassing GSC models since the release of Shadow Throne, with the idea of doing some kind of disgruntled miners union force, but might go with the Yeyland-Wutani mining guild, and go full GSC. Maybe a mix of both. I'd like to get at least a HQ and troop painted up for the cult, so some of the above may change. At the very least I'd like to get the psychic elements and patriarch done. 

[Xenith]

I managed to get a Leviathan set ordered from Dark Sphere, so in theory I have some more bugs on the way! 

[Xenith]

It's here!

 

A great box for me, I can reinforce both my BA and Hive Fleet Jabberwocky at the same time. I plan on vowing to paint the entire nid side for the call to Arms event that's going to start on 1st July - thats:

neurotyrant

winged prime

screamer killer

psychophage

3 leapers

20 termagants

11 neurogaunts

5 barbgaunts. 

 

That's 43 models to get through, which is doable in 3 months I think with contrasts! The main thing will be getting them built! 

 

[ZeroWolf]

You're more optimistic than I am  I'm about a 3rd of the way in with the nids at the moment.

[Xenith]

1 hour ago, ZeroWolf said:

You're more optimistic than I am  I'm about a 3rd of the way in with the nids at the moment.

 

That's still amazing progress - 1/3 built, or 1/3 painted?!

[ZeroWolf]

Built (only the nid side mind you.) Painting starts Saturday 

[Brother Nathan]

5 hours and no progress shots.. disappoint... side note if you havent build the prime could you take a pic of both sides of the sprue? planning chopping... 

[Xenith]

5 hours ago, ZeroWolf said:

Built (only the nid side mind you.) Painting starts Saturday 

Don't forget to take unpainted photos for your initial vow also! We're gonna smash this one, for the Hive! 

[Dread]

I got 2 of the nid side of leviathan. My only bugs since 5th Ed. Starting with just them I will add a few things in the future but that's all for now. I will probably pledge on the first of july because it's the only army I have unpainted.

 

Can't wait to see your color scheme. I have absolutely no idea what mine will be.

[ZeroWolf]

1 hour ago, Xenith said:

Don't forget to take unpainted photos for your initial vow also! We're gonna smash this one, for the Hive! 

I won't forget  I'm excited to do my best for the Great Devourer!

[Xenith]

Back from vacation and managed to get the screamer killer, barbgaunts and neurogaunts made up - I'm starting with the units I don't have. I'm keen to finish this box off then vow it all in a Call to Arms. 

[The Pounder]

I’ve been looking through this thread, great stuff!

 

I have to confess now, I absolutely love your Hive Tyrant! 
 

With that in mind I’m going to shamelessly copy what you’ve done.

 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Xenith]

Go for it, and I'm flattered thanks! I've found the first post I show the beast off. The main thing is deciding on head position - the brain on the zoanthrope clashes with the back of the tyrants carapace, so without any work the head will look really downwards. I carved away the back of the carapace (nervewracking) to make the head face forwards more. The more you carve, the more front facing the head will be. I didn't go all the way as part of my idea was the Psyrant being an armoured psychic wall, so from the front the exoskeleton is barely visible and the eyes protected behind the carapace. I also trimmed the weird loop of flesh behind the zoanthrope heads to get it to site better, then a blob of GS in the join seals the deal. 

 

I could have also gone with the more ornate Neurothrope head, however I felt that was more appropriate for a psychic only bug, while a Psyrant was in effect, multiclassing. 

 

I then added mawloc spines to the back for a sensoria array/ganglia, and Tyrant Guard armour plates to the back of the normal tyrant wrists to match the swarmlord and make it look well protected, like a death ball of chitin. 

 

On 4/6/2021 at 9:10 AM, Xenith said:

My Hive Tyrant. I love Psychic 'Nids, and a big brain bug is something I've wanted for a long time. This is just a zoanthrope head stuck onto a tyrant body, with the carapace filed back to accomodate the bulbous dome. Unsure whether to stick with the basic zoan head or swap it for the Neurothrope head. Might give it a try.

 

 

 

[The Pounder]

That’s fantastic! Thanks very much Xenith!

 

I’m thinking of using a Neurothrope head, I want it as spiky as possible.

All I have to do now is source the bitz!

[Xenith]

I've vowed and officially answered the Call to Arms 2023!

14 minutes ago, Xenith said:

Aright @Grotsmasha, here we go:

 

I, Xenith, overlord of Hive Fleet Jabberwocky, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint the following for 55pts for the Glory of It Who Hungers and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 30th September 2023, or bear the badge of failure until years end.

 

1x Neurotyrant (5pts)

2x neurospore things (2pts)

11x Neurogaunts (11pts)

5x Barbgaunts (5pts)

3x VRL's (3pts)

1x Screamer Killer (5pts?)

1x Winged Tyranid Prime (5pts)

1x Psychophage (5pts)

5x Wraithguard (5pts)

1x Spiritseer (5pts)

1x Webway gate (4pts?)

 

Total = 55pts

 

I'm starting with the nid units from Leviathan that I dont already have versions of, then will do the rest as a second vow if time permits - summers already getting busy! Objective is still to get the entire nid side painted within CTA! 

 

 

[Xenith]

I've had a game of 10th edition! Tyranids vs Dark angels, I've written up a battle report in my blog, and given my first impression and ranking for the units I used. 

 

 

[Xenith]

I've managed to get my CTA vow primed over the weekend, and chosen to start with teh Barbgaunts and Psychophage, so here's some progress on the Psychophage:

 

Pink mouth, I painted this while the model was still in two halves, as the inner mouth would be a pain to get to - this is the only reason to do this first! 

The the 50:50 akhelian to contrast medium

 

And Magos Purple in the carapace recesses

 

There's still a lot of work to do, but it's getting there, slowly! 

[Xenith]

I'm going to start updating the points of my Hive Fleet to 10th edition Munitorum 1.0, I thouht I'd preserve those points changes here:

 

End of 9th ed point total:

 

And this is after updating the point values:

 

 

That's pretty stark - the tyranids in particular have seen some hefty points drops, combined with what I think is an overall weakening of their firepower/damage output, which will hopefully redefine their playstyle as a board control hordey army, which will be fun.

 

The main drops are things like

venomthropes: 105->70

6 Hive Guard: 360 -> 200

Old One Eye: 225 -> 140

3 Warriors: 90 -> 70

Tyrannocyte: 165 -> 105

Exocrine: 200 -> 135

6 Zoanthropes: 300 -> 180

 

As well as the wholesale removal of things like the Tyranid Prime (70 -> 23) and Neurothrope (105 -> 33).

 

The above units are the biggest point drops, and from that I think they're maybe some of the more effective. We have seen some point increases, in kind of weird ways. Genestealers (16ppm -> 18ppm), spore mines (10->13ppm), Hive Tyrants (180 -> 220) and Tyrannofexes (190->200) have gone up, and some of the bigger monsters have stayed around the same points, however received a significant boost in T for the new edition.

 

All in all, I think nids are in a decent place datasheet and points wise, that will be borne out with gaming. So far we don't see the Tyranids faction making headlines, which is I think partly the new meta finding it's feet, the strength of eldar and marines, and being an army with middling army wide rule. I think it will stay this way until we see a rework of shadow in the warp, hopefully in our codex! 

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by Xenith

[The Pounder]

Very impressed with your organisation!

 

That’s a lot of points completed already!

[Xenith]

They took way longer than I was expecting, but I finished the Barbgaunts I've vowed for A Call to Arms:

 

 

There's so much detail on these, it makes the beautiful models to look at, however the detail is also time consuming to paint - while gaunts maybe had 2-3 scales on each leg, these guys have 4, and instead of 3 scales on the back, thes have like 10 meaning more recess shading and feathering up to the white colour. 

 

They're not based yet as I'm going to take my time with them, take them off these 40mm's then make my own standard custom bases for the army, drill the peg holes back into the bases, then stick them on...but all after CTA. 

 

My vow progress so far:

 

 

1x Neurotyrant (5pts)

2x neurospore things (2pts)

11x Neurogaunts (11pts)

5x Barbgaunts (5pts)

3x VRL's (3pts)

1x Screamer Killer (5pts?)

1x Winged Tyranid Prime (5pts)

1x Psychophage (5pts)

5x Wraithguard (5pts)

1x Spiritseer (5pts)

1x Webway gate (6pts)

 

I think over the weekend I'm going to take a break from the Nids and try and get the wraithguard finished!

[ZeroWolf]

Those look great! I get what you mean about the detail.

[Xenith]

Thanks! Yea, they're great, but assuming all of Leviathan is the same, the set will take longer to paint than I was expecting!

 

I was editing my roster in the first post of this topic when I seen that I started the army log on June 18th 2017, so Hive Fleet Jabberwocky is now just over 6 years old.

 

In that time, I've managed to get a lot done, and by the end of 9th I was almost at 5000pts painted, which is just short of 1000pts per year, which is quite amazing for myself. We'll have to see if I can hit 6k by this time next year (or actually 5k with the point drops...), highly likely with Leviathan! 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Xenith

[The Pounder]

The Barbguants look good.

 

I’d imagine you’ll get through that Leviathan box sooner than you think!

[Xenith]

Quick update on my CTA progress:

 

On 7/21/2023 at 4:52 PM, Xenith said:

1x Neurotyrant (5pts)

2x neurospore things (2pts)

11x Neurogaunts (11pts)

5x Barbgaunts (5pts)

3x VRL's (3pts)

1x Screamer Killer (5pts?)

1x Winged Tyranid Prime (5pts)

1x Psychophage (5pts)

5x Wraithguard (5pts)

1x Spiritseer (5pts)

1x Webway gate (6pts)

 

I've finished the screamer and wraithguard in addition to the barbs and psychophage, will try and getsome pics up soon. 

[Xenith]

Progress on my Call to Arms vow!

 

Weirdly, the neurogaunts don't look painted in the main photo, but they're done. They'll look better once I respray the bases black.