NTaW's Thokt Dynasty

[MithrilForge]

looks great so far, are you trying for an Egyptian style headdress? ...

do you cast your scarabs?...i was thinking of doing that so i can get heaps more on to my barren bases!...

Don't destroy the monolith,if its not salvageable you should make a Terrain piece out of it...a BIG terrain piece 

 

Cheers,Mithril

[NTaW]

:lol: don't worry there will be no model destruction. I'll give it away to someone if anything.

 

I'm not really sure what I'm trying for with the Fez-ening...just sorta poked at a blob of GS for a while until it looked like that since it seemed like the easiest option. I've since gone back and poked at it some more to clean up the shape a bit.

 

I do cast most of my scarabs as well as the bases they are on. Lots of plastic interspersed, but I wanted several on each base so it was my only option really.

Edited April 23, 2018 by NTaW

[MithrilForge]

can you explain the process or show some casting pics......i just got some of that oyamaru stuff and wanted to make extra scarabs for my bases and for adding to my characters etc...

if you don't want to explain it on the forum just send me a PM if you want 

 

cheers, Mithril

[Tyriks]

I'm probably also about to start casting scarabs. Seems like a good addition to bases or bigger models and I want more scarabs than I need warriors, so...

[NTaW]

I used a two part silicone product to produce my molds, went up over the edges so the feet didn't look funny. Definitely scrapped a bit to get it figured out (not to mention the number of miscast Scarabs as I learned, jeeze) but these are the two I still have after it all, currently filled with GS and with Apoxie finished ones next to it. 

 

 

I take a little ball of putty and dampen it a bit then push it into the mold, careful to make sure it's well filled and packed in. The bit of dampening is critical for a smooth finish, too little will yield a pocked result and too much will give a equally crappy finish that's harder to describe. Not every one I make is perfect, some are destined to be bottom layer only. Ultimately though it's let me pad out what plastic ones I've got to make something I think is a bit more eye catching and representative of the swarm. My only wish is that I had known about the tiny little ones hiding in the Tesseract Vault! Would have looked even nicer with varying sizes. 

[MithrilForge]

Thanks for the description and the pics too 

so there's tiny ones in the Vault  ... there are wee ones on the bodies of the necrons  seated in the Ghost ark as well...i wonder if they are the same types...and if i should try make a small mold of them too...

 

Thanks again for taking the time to show us your stuff  

 

Cheers,Mithril

[NTaW]

No problem-o. I should point out that the only reason my method here works is because the mold is flexible, and even then it's a bit tricky to get the Scarabs out. I've broken many tiny little feet nubs off as I worked cured putty out. If the oyamaru stuff you have isn't flexible when set it may be tricky for you to get the wrap around sides that I have gotten here.

[MithrilForge]

thanks for the heads up/pointers, i'll be making a mold with the Oyamaru this weekend and see how it handles/works....

 

now post something painted ... ...actually can we get a close up of your scarabs(if you have any close up pics of em,that is?)

 

cheers, Mithril 

[NTaW]

I have nothing to paint for Necrons sadly. Cryptek is miscast, GW customer service are gems and I was reimbursed but I'm not really excited to work on that lump of resin. Same goes for the Monolith, though lets call it a hunk of plastic instead. Add to that I was looking at the Destroyer Lord yesterday (and today, I basically stare at it hoping I'll unsee the elbow) and may cut off his left arm to try again. Those three models have me really frustrated right now. I might just buy something else new and shelf the three of them indefinitely, though then I'm faced with all sorts of decisions about how to expand my army in a way that's both interesting to me and relevant on the table. I'd like a Doomsday Ark but loathe random shot weapons, love Doom Scythes as models but am completely underwhelmed with the one I have on the table, and I've sorta boned myself by making Heavy Destroyers out of Stalker parts. 

 

Tl;dr me right now considering my army moving forward:

 

Here's a bigger version of the pic I took a page back of my finished and painted Scarabs. Spoiler tag because of size. Trying to see if you can spot the clones? :lol:

 

[MithrilForge]

Awesome...i'll be honest and say I cannot tell which are molds and which are GW's

Sorry your a sad Panda with your failcast

what if you tried to do the head like this one here below...

Cheers,Mithril

[NTaW]

The Destroyer Lord's head doesn't bother me (though that model looks cool and now I'm thinking of adding to it), it's the left arm. I think I can cut off the forearm and re-position it to look less awkward. Just means I'll be using a fresh blade. Now all I need to do is have time to work again :lol:

[NTaW]

Woo! Just got some Destroyers, didn't even have to build them. 

 

 

Add the Destroyer Lord and I'll be just over 2500 points without having the fix the various lumps of plastic I have. I even got some primer and the weather should be good enough to get some spraying done on Friday (presuming there's time around the rest of life that day as well). Still haven't had a chance to do anything modeling-wise on the DL. Soon!

[MithrilForge]

Oh nice,

i have a swarm of 8 of em i'm repainting next...i was going to paint them up as Novokh to go with the destroyer lord i'm about to build( Captain idaho's -novokh Butcher build )

But i can't really see the point of that now...  , i think ill keep them Nihilakh and just make my Scarabs and canoptek wraith's as my Novokh outrider force...thoughts?...

 

Cant wait to see yours painted up in black & Blue 

 

Cheers,Mithril

 

++EDIT++ 

just had an idea...get one of your scarabs and attach it to the elbow joint of the destroyer lord and file down the mandible bit on the front and attach a fist to it and make it look like he has a forearm scarab gauntlet type thingy?.. maybe...  

Edited May 3, 2018 by mithrilforge

[NTaW]

:lol: while I appreciate the thought on the scarab-arm it really is just a reposition that needs doing. His forearm is unnaturally angled. I'll post a before and after pic when I get around to fixing it and you'll see how uselessly pedantic I get when it comes to arm positioning.

 

I'll be running two 4 model squads of Destroyers, each with one of my existing HDs in there, led by my DL. I really am tempted to play him with a staff of light despite building mine with a warscythe. Necrons being good in the combat phase is kind of a joke compared to armies that are meant to be there, and while he is OK in combat he's only better than people who aren't really designed for combat. His re-roll to wound buff is for shooting and with FLY there's no issue falling back and shooting with his Destroyer pals. Since thinking on this I've even considered giving him the Mephrit relic and trait so he can snipe characters and still have D2 while shooting. Shooting Necrons definitely do better than any army designed for combat.

 

As for your collection, are you painting everything different colours to match the rules they employ?

[MithrilForge]

Yeah that was my thought, nihilakh for all my shooty force and Novokh colours for DLord and any close combat oriented units that I add...I actually did want to try have a fun close combat element for funsies and surprise value in friendly games... Who knows what can happen!?..,

So your hiding a heavy D in each squad eh.. Tricky! Since they can shoot at other targets nowadays.

Cheers mithril

[NTaW]

My only thought when painting to accommodate rules is that they change. I wouldn't be surprised if we see new faction rules introduced in Chapter Approved once all Codex books are released. Of course if you're painting them because you like those colours rock on, for me as a veteran of several editions of the game I've in the past regretted decisions I've made based off the rules of the time. Keep in mind here in Canada we've gotten rid of our $.01 denomination so my 2 cents rounds down to 0 though :lol:

 

Every list I have will utilize a combat element for sure, all balanced lists I think should have some answer to enemies that get up in their grill beyond "shoot more". Even with a staff of light I'd still use the Novokh code/trait most of the time, it's a sweet combo that I've used multiple times now with my Overlord and Lychguard and would be nasty with Wraiths. I just think it would be even nastier if my DL could fall back into range of his Destroyers and buff them to shoot at whatever he and the Wraiths were engaging while the Wraiths broke off to tie the next target up. 4 attacks in combat is good, but 3 attacks shooting plus 4 attacks in combat seems pretty good too. It all ties back into my view of Necrons, they don't necessarily do great damage at once but they tend to live long enough to do more damage over time.

 

Putting the HDs into squads of Destroyers is the way and the light, my friend. Keeps them alive and larger squads make better use of reanimation protocols. It's a bit less efficient when you consider their stratagem's once per turn use but that's also why I plan to play a DL with them more often than not.

Edited May 3, 2018 by NTaW

[NTaW]

I tried, but the weather just isn't doing it for priming. Did the bases black to test since I don't care what the finish looks like and it didn't come out smooth enough for me to do the Destroyers. Have put in the requisite minutes of chopping on the Destroyer Lord though, I wonder if I can get these pics side by side...

 

 

That left arm has relieved a surprising amount of anxiety I had about the model :lol: I also accidentally broke the warscythe head off his staff and figured what the heck: staff of light it is. As I was doing it I started liking the model even more. If the guy is going to be hell bent on the destruction of all life forms he may as well have a weapon that is multi-purpose in its killing. I almost don't want to do any more to his head now, just want to get him painted with the rest of his cult (though I do have to put a little pinprick of GS into gaps in his left wrist and elbow).

 

EDIT: Thankfully the weather cleared up enough to get three Destroyers primed, so even if it cools back off I at least have those to work on. Thinking of doing something asymmetrical for the head of the DL. Maybe a fan on one side that hooks over a bit. More on that idea soon hopefully, though they all have to be done by the 18th for the final match of my campaign in the defense of Talrynos.

Edited May 4, 2018 by NTaW

[MithrilForge]

Great to see you working on them, the staff idea does sound very multi use... And I guess in friendly games you could say counts as warscythe! The arm looks better, the old one looked like a dance pose lol!....

Your making me rethink some of my tactical ideas regarding the DLord and his homies (in a good way I guess)

Look fwd to seeing paint on your destroyers!

Cheers, Mithril

 

Edit - have you pledged the DLord for the ETL?

Edited May 4, 2018 by mithrilforge

[NTaW]

Ultimately I will one day build another DL with a different loadout I think. I really like the warscythe on him just talked myself out of it because of my lists, also I play Blood Angels so they kinda sate my love of close combat in a way Necrons never will :lol:

 

If I do another vow I'll include the DL.

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

I quite like the model, NTaW, esp. the crisp greenstuff work.

 

But what’s this ‘if’ business? It’s not a question of if but when. After all, those destroyers need their lords to lead them!

[NTaW]

Thanks Daimyo, glad the work I've done so far is looking good to more than just my eyes :tu:

 

To be honest I only vowed the Destroyers because of the timing, I'm not very interested in the ETL. If I do indeed find myself with the time to paint more than the 6 Destroyers in the next couple weeks I'll vow again but life is going to be, let's say "different", for the next couple months. I may have the occasional minute to paint and I may just shelf the hobby for the time being to focus on my family.

Edited May 5, 2018 by NTaW

[NTaW]

The cult is out and being worked on, slowly but surely I got the silver finished over the last three days. I got the HDs out for reference and realized I never did the blue in their chests so they'll get that touched up as I progress. I still have to GS the Lord's elbow holes before priming, will probably get to that as the Destroyers are being based.

 

 

I think once they're all done I'll work out what Lord-o's marking will be and paint a reduced version of it on all of the others.

[MithrilForge]

Looking good, glad to see your chipping away at em, let me guess... wife and kid/kids time chews up painting time  (that's my burden too,but a nice one though) 

I really want to see that lord done though 

seeing your bases reminds me i really should base all my destroyer types on sand/flock etc...

 

Cheers, Mithril

[NTaW]

You got it my friend, I watch my son all morning while my spouse is at work and then we switch and I go to work. I get time to paint if the little guy has a nap while I'm home and there isn't anything else that needs doing as well. I try to find 10+ minutes every day though, using a wet pallet has helped me be able to pick up a brush and go when I do get time. Even if it's just a bit of colour that's more paint than was on them before! :lol:

 

I initially left my clear flying bases unpainted but really didn't like the look of them next to painted bases. Kind of like how I could have ordered blue acrylic but painted everything for coherency instead. The Destroyer Lord will be back in the works as soon as these 6 are out of the way. I kind of wish I had some tiny scarabs from the Tesseract kit to have them repairing damage to his carapace. I've decided not to mess with his head any more or add a cloak but tiny scarabs to represent a phylactery or relic could be fun.

[MithrilForge]

Idea.... I have a doomsday ark I'm building and it has the spare warriors in it from ghost ark... Did you want me to send you one of them so you can make a tiny mold of the scarab from it?...

 

Cheers, Mithril