DuskRaider's 40K Nurgle - An Experiment in Flesh and Machine

[DuskRaider]

Well I've finally finished all of the bases for my Death Guard and Nurgle Daemons... except for the rims, I'm doing that now. But to show I've actually gone through with it, here's some photos of Mortarion & my Epidemius Counts-As on their new bases.

 

One note concerning Epidemius... I have not yet permanently attached him to the base since I still have to remove the rocks under his right feet and replace them with something more appropriate to match the theme. I have a wheel from a Death Korps of Krieg Quad Mortar I may place under there.

 

Overall I guess I'm happy with them. I kind of wish I had used more weathering effects, but with so many to do I guess it is what it is. They're gritty, dark and what I think of when it I envision the trenches of the Great War. They match my Death Guard with their grittiness while also contrasting their generally brighter coloration.

 

One thing I definitely struggled with was the idea of highlights. I didn't want to make mud too bright and also undo the work I had put into them with water effects, so I kept it to a minimum. Let me know what you think!

 

[Hathis]

Never thought I would use the word beautiful on Nurgle, but damn love the paint job, and the changes to the giant snail is spot on.

[DuskRaider]

Thank you, frater... I appreciate that.

 

I did get a game in last night with these two chuckleheads on the board against Nid swarm. Epidemius obviously hid in a building far out of sight with an attendant Plague Marine Squad laying down fire while Mortarion flew up the board with perfectly timed Deathshroud deep strikes and a Herald in tow.

 

It was a 3000 point game and my buddy brought mainly gribblies with some big bads in the mix like the Swarmlord and a Tervigon. He has them bubble wrapped pretty much the whole game but the last two rounds, with the Tervigon constantly replenishing exhausted hordes of Gaunts (or Gants, I always forget). Despite this, I did manage to get Mortarion into combat with the Swarmlord and his Tyrant Guard, wiped the Guard and got the Swarmlord down to 5 wounds before he retreated to protect the Tervigon. Next turn, Morty charged both and finished the job while still having 5 wounds remaining. Not bad.

 

The funniest one was watching 40 Poxwalkers drag down a Haruspex over 4 rounds. Typhus delivered the killing blow, though. Yet again, the Plague Hulk under delivered, which is really unfortunate because I love the model but think he's kinda bunk.

 

Other than that, the Plaguebearers clean house pretty well, the winged Daemon Prince killed Old One Eye but was promptly eaten by two other Carnifexes (Carnifices? Carnifexii?), Deathshroud killed probably 50 Gaunts, the Blightlords were unstoppable, and the Bloat Drones burned things.

 

In all, probably the most fun I've had playing in years.

[DuskRaider]

Wow, three updates in a day...

 

Christmas came early for DR as you can see below. I finally got my rotted mitts on the Myphitic Blight Haulers, yay! These are what I feel my army was really lacking when attempting to compose a list, so I'm thrilled to have them finally.

 

The second is the new Lord of Contagion with Blightlords. This kit is... I don't know. Originally I planned on doing some surgery on the Blightlords to make them a bit better, but that really didn't turn out well. Their heads are much smaller than normal Blightlords so swapping was out of the question. I was going to swap the arm on the Plague Spewer dude with a Bolter, but the arms on these guys are molded into the body itself so any changes come with extensive work and I don't have the time or patience for that right now. The other issue was trimming the mutations... I was able to trim some tentacles off, but it was ehhh...

 

The Lord is supposed to be the 40K iteration of my 30K Praetor. I already knew I'd run into problems since my 30K Praetor's face is half-bionic. That would be going out the window, but the idea was since he's mutated it wouldn't matter terribly. I was able to give him the exact weapon the Praetor utilizes, albeit a bit worse for the wear. The other challenge was the cabling to the oxygen tank. In 30K he's kept alive by technology. I may try to remove the head and either replace it and have the cabling go to his mouth ala respirator, or... I don't know.

 

But here's where I'm at currently:

 

[Sagentus]

Great work DR! The bases look awesome and very much 40k trench like.

 

The latest models look great too. I can see why the blight hauler were out of stock online if everyone like yourself bought 3 lol. Liking the subtle changes you made to the blightlords, i like the look of those so wouldn't say my needs doing. The praetor captain changes are spot on, really dont like the cartoony face they gave him lol

[Warsmith Onyx]

Wow, great job on these models.
I really like the effect you achieved on Morty's wings!

[DuskRaider]

Thank you, my dark brethren. I really appreciate the comments, it keeps my hobby motor running.

 

Last update on the Lord of Contagion... I've swapped the head (again) and made a more direct connection with the oxygen tank and hose. I also wanted to post a comparison shot of the Lord with his 30K counterpart.

 

As you can see, there's a MASSIVE size difference. I remember thinking my Praetor was pretty big back in the day. The only thing that really annoys me isbthe lack of ranged options for the Lord, I'd love to give him a Volkite Charger as a counts-as Combi-Plasma or whatever to drive home the point that it's the same man.

 

Any further modifications will be seen when there's some paint on him or he's completed. Enjoy!

 

[Ovidius Incertus]

Pray tell me about the chainsword on your praetor!

[DuskRaider]

It's from Kromlech, the Ripper set. Really cool stuff, there's a larger Chainsword as well but it would probably only work with Orks or something. Cool Broadsword too, used it on my old Dusk Raiders Praetor. Edited December 24, 2017 by DuskRaider

[Atia]

He looks great!

 

To be honest - I would just give him the volkite and either say he won't use it during the game (boring, but atleast he can have it hanging from his waist or something), or write your own rules and say it's a relic weapon, using the rules from the Marines Codex - just ask your opponent, shouldn't be a problem 

[DuskRaider]

I did consider it, but ultimately I decided not to, mainly because I no longer have any Chargers that still have the pistol grips on them. We'll chalk it up to Nurgle's blessings rendering it unserviceable.

[Marius Perdo]

Looking cool, and your plastic looks crisper than mine, even if we both couldn't help but try and convert them :)

[DuskRaider]

It's really not, unfortunately. I like the Easy to Build kits for the most part (the lack of conversion possibility without major work is annoying) but there are many parts which aren't really well defined due to the casting process. It's becoming evident after I've become painting, but I'll attempt to hide it best I can. I fear I got some glue runoff or something on the head too, but I won't know until I base it flesh and start the wash process.

[DuskRaider]

Happy New Year, my fellow heretics!

 

I'm not sure if I'd consider these my first finished models of 2018 or my last ones of 2017... while the majority of them were done a few days back, I kept finding tiny details I wanted to pick out. As I sit here writing this, I still question if there's more I could have picked out. 

 

When the new codex was released, I found myself oddly enthralled with the idea of a melee-oriented squad of Plague Marines. I picture these guys being the ones who jump down into the enemy trenches and slaughter their foe face to face. I'm still unsure how they perform, I have yet to use them in a game... old habits are hard to break and so I can't help but field my ranged Astartes.

 

I do have to say I find the CC-Plague Marines much better for modifications. While they have a set amount of weapons they can wield, the modeling ideas are endless. Thank Nurgle for the Blightking kit, I'll say that. 

 

Now to the other two... I'm really pleased with the Foul Blightspawn, he turned out exactly as I had imagined he would. The Biologus Putrifier, however... all of those racks, vials and jars were a bit overwhelming to me and it was difficult figuring out how to do them. I didn't want to make them all look the same, it would have been extremely boring and limited. At the same time, I didn't want him looking like Joseph and the Technicolor Plague Jars. I tried to find a happy medium between then two and I wanted the jars themselves to look sort of like old mason jars, particularly the blue ones... they remind me of the old cobalt jars I'd find in my great-grandmother's basement. I'm still unsure if I should paint the details on them metal or leave them glass...

 

I also made sure to base these guys before taking any finished photos. As I said prior, I have a ton of bases done I just need to find the time to add all of my models to them. Especially the Poxwalkers, that may take forever. Anyhow, I've got a whole bunch of models I'm working on simultaneously so I'm going to get back to them... enjoy these and let me know what you think!

 

[Sagentus]

Dam DR the bases make them look even more epic!

[Brother Desultor]

Stupendous work.

 

However I do have one small criticism - the colourful jars on the Putrifier do look a little like a couple of strings of festive garden fairy lights. Perhaps you were infused with the Christmas spirit of Papa Nurgle whilst painting them.....

[DuskRaider]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of... It felt odd making them metal like GW, I think they had the same problem as I did.

[Brother Desultor]

When I get round to painting that model myself I’m going to try using a lot of aged brass/bronze for the metal parts of the flasks. Hopefully that should help reduce the amount of red and greens that I’m planning to paint the glass parts with.

[Augustus b'Raass]

....

 

 

 

 

 

wow

 

 

 

 

....

 

 

 

Dude, I haven't checked this log in a looong while - probably only after its beginning early last year. Your force has grown with such stunning speed! I am in love with it. You really inspired me to finally start building and painting my death guard army, which has sat on a shelf in boxes for months now. Your creamy white is simply beautiful. What's the recipe?

 

Thank you for the inspiration!

[Sgt. Blank]

Nice work Dusk Raider - I think you've achieved a new standard with these - the highlights and blending look great and the basing gives it a really nice feel.

[DuskRaider]

Thanks guys! It's funny, you can see how I've improved the white of my armour over time when you compare my first seven Plague Marines to my bulk now.

 

I guess you'd call the scheme a sunburst technique, like on a guitar. I do it as follows:

 

1. Prime Corax White

2. Wash the model in undiluted Seraphim Sepia

3. Drybrush (in a swirling motion) each armour panel in Ushabti Bone. You want to treat each one as it's own unique piece.

4. Wash again in undiluted Seraphim Sepia

5. Drybrush each panel again in Ushabti Bone focusing on the center of each plate.

6. Drybrush (swirling) the very center of each piece with Pallid Wych Flesh.

7. Panel line each piece with Agrax Earthshade.

 

I hope I explained that well... It's difficult to describe what I'm doing with the white. I guess it's a drybrush, but I'm doing it a bit heavy and in a swirling motion. You want each layer to blend. I can try to do a step by step guide when I get my next squad of Plague Marines, which should be arriving soon.

 

Actually it'll be two more, one of which is used already assembled, but was extremely cheap (almost half price a box). I just couldn't pass on it and it brings me closer to my final goal of the army, which is massed infantry.

[Cryptix]

Thanks guys! It's funny, you can see how I've improved the white of my armour over time when you compare my first seven Plague Marines to my bulk now.

 

I've improved the white of my armour

white

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/023/021/e02e5ffb5f980cd8262cf7f0ae00a4a9_press-x-to-doubt-memes-memesuper-la-noire-doubt-meme_419-238.jpg Edited January 5, 2018 by Swarmlord Unleashed

[DuskRaider]

[Augustus b'Raass]

No idea what Swarlord's post is about, there. :/

 

In any case, thanks for the recipe!! How about the black/dark green areas and your metals?

 

A step by step would be most appreciated! Again, I love your stuff!!

[DuskRaider]

He's Californian, he's barely a person.

 

Sure thing, man!

 

The black is as follows:

 

1. Base Abaddon Black

2. Wash with diluted Windsor & Newton Black India Ink... I cannot tell you how "vivid" this make the black, it's really cool.

3. Use the same drybrush / swirl technique as the armour using Vallejo Dark Sea Blue

4. Repeat, concentrating on the center with a mix of 75% Dark Sea Blue / 25% Administratum Grey

5. Once more in the very center of the armour piece with a mix of 50% DSB / 50% AG

6. Wash the very outer edges in  diluted Nuln Oil.

 

The metal trim:

 

1. Base Leadbelcher

2. Wash with diluted Nuln Oil

3. Wash again with undiluted Agrax Earthshade... you don't have to do the entire pauldron trim on all of them, it looks good with some areas skipped to give some variation in wear

4. Using Runefang Steel, pick out random areas of the trim (mainly the rim) and add some pop.

5. Add diluted Nihlakh Oxide to random crevices of the trim. I try to make it as subtle as I can so it doesn't overwhelm the metal / model in general.

6. Optional: Add diluted Brass Scorpion to areas of the metal as well. Apply it the model for roughly 15 - 20 seconds, then dab with paper towel. It'll leave a brownish - rust coloration. I haven't really used it on my Death Guard to a large extent, but you see it on my Word Bearers. 

 

For completions sake, the red:

 

1. Base in Khorne Red

2. Wash in undiluted Carrosburg Crimson

3. dryrush with Evil Sunz Scarlet

Edited January 5, 2018 by DuskRaider